Diani Reef Cup: Dantata inspires Cup of Joe to victory

Tusker Malt's Jadini Nzomo (left) and Bowale Jolaoso of Veuve Clicquot during Kenya/Nigeria Polo tournament at The Nairobi Polo Club.[Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Cup of Joe defeated Veuve Clicquot 4-2 to make a positive start in the Diani Reef Cup of the Nairobi/Lagos International match at Nairobi Polo Club on Friday.

And as they tested the Kenyan horses ahead of the big matches, Nigerian Ababa Dantata scored a hattrick for the Cup of Joe to secure their first victory.

Dantata, whose teammates included Jenny Camm, Munir Rabiu and Alice Owambo scored a double in the first chukka and another in the second one to make a good start in the tournament.

Owambo who’s equally improving from one tournament to the other scored the fourth goal for the winners in the second chukka.

Veuve Clicquot replied from a double by handicap 0 Nigerian Mussadiq Talle whose support came from compatriot Bowale Jolaoso with the Kenyan duo of Jammie Excel and Sharon Alela being good defenders.

“We needed our players to expand their exposure between the two clubs, the visit by Nigerians being a reciprocal tournament,” tournament’s coordinator Simon Muchene said.

In the second match of the tournament, Primirosa registered a narrow 3-2 victory over Tusker Malt.

Kelvin Jumba in the company of Nigerian duo of Rita Alakija and Isa Kwame with the support of Bobby Kamani opened the scores for the winners in the first chukka of the two chukka matches.

Alakija and Kwame scored the other two in the second chukka while in-form Jadini Nzomo and Funsho George of Lagos Polo Club replied for Tusker Malt.