A massive performance in the second leg of the Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifiers was all Harambee Starlets needed to make a statement against the Indomitable Lioness of Cameroon.
Coming from a 1_0 loss in Doula, Cameroon, the national team knew the task at hand; A must-win game by all means. The goal indeed came in the second half, with a foul on substitute Violet Nanjala saw attacker Cynthia Shilwatso sending a thunderbolt free kick that could not be stopped by the thwarting efforts of the goalkeeper.
It could have been business over a few minutes later when Nanjala again sprinted on the left wing to deliver a smooth cross to Shilwatso, whose efforts proved futile after hitting the woodwork. The game ended with a 1_0 advantage to the home side but 1_1 on aggregate, sending the match onto penalties to decide the fate. Starlets won 4_3 on penalties.
With the win assuring them qualification to the second round, Starlets will now face Botswana with the winner securing an automatic qualification for the 2024 WAFCON tournament to be held in Morocco. The match will take place between November 27 and December 5. Should Harambee Starlets cross the bridge in the fixture, they will make history by qualifying for the continental tournament for a second time, having graced the stage in 2016.
This was also Harambee Starlet’s return to international CAF Competitions, after Kenya’s lengthy suspension by FIFA from international football. In the first round, they eased past neighbors Sudan, with a whopping 15-1 aggregate on the two legs.
This comeback is symbolic and signifies a new era for women’s football in Kenya, which has been on the rise significantly, with ardent supporters opining that the queens are more poised to be the first to make a World Cup debut ahead of the men’s team, Harambee Stars.
Under the guidance of Coach Beldine Odemba, Harambee Starlets have a formidable squad with players full of skills and experience. The squad boasts a harmonious blend of in-form local-based talents and seasoned foreign-based players.
