Kenya Ice Lions coach Tim Colby has attributed their 9-4 defeat against Team World to poor defence coverage.
Kenya lost to Team World despite leading 3-1 in the initial stages of the match.
Colby praised his team’s effort and skill level, saying: “The game was very fast-paced, aggressive and physical.”
“Our opponents have experience playing high-level hockey in Europe and North America, which made it a tough challenge for us. However, Kenya played well and stayed competitive until the final period.”
Colby highlighted defensive coverage as a critical area for improvement.
“You can’t let the other team run free. Hockey is a physical game, and we need to get more physical and aware on the ice,” he explained.
Kenya team captain Benjamin Mburu echoed the coach’s sentiments, applauding his teammates for their determination.
“I’m proud of how we played. We fell behind in the second period and forgot to back-check. We have learned from our experience today,” Mburu said.
The team, led by left winger Trevor Mwangi, managed three goals in the first period but struggled defensively as the game progressed.
“We had chances but didn’t capitalise on them. They outscored us because of better shooting and defence,” Mwangi admitted.
Striker Hassnein Shah pinpointed passing as an area to refine.
“Our opponents had better passes, which gave them an edge. We need to improve on that and on staying balanced during play,” Shah said.
The Ice Lions face significant challenges, including limited ice time due to high costs, which Colby stressed is a barrier to consistent progress.
“Ice time costs about Sh15,000 per hour and we only manage two hours of training a week. With more funding, we can get more ice time and improve our game,” Colby said.
The team will now turn their focus on the Friendship League tournament at Panari from January 16–25.
The event has attracted teams from Japan and the United States.
