Starlets Coach Odemba Applauds Team’s Progress Ahead of 2026 WAFCON
Kenya concluded their two-match friendly series in Blida on Sunday evening with a hard-fought draw, thanks to a composed finish by striker Mwanahalima “Dogo” Adam after a well-coordinated attacking move
By : Mweru Mbugua
Harambee Starlets head coach Beldine Odemba says the team’s 1–1 draw against Algeria in their second friendly match showed encouraging improvement as Kenya intensifies preparations for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON)
Kenya concluded their two-match friendly series in Blida on Sunday evening with a hard-fought draw, thanks to a composed finish by striker Mwanahalima “Dogo” Adam after a well-coordinated attacking move
The result came after a 2–1 loss in the first encounter, giving Starlets a point and valuable lessons ahead of their second-ever WAFCON appearance
Coach Odemba noted that the team’s growth between the two matches was visible, crediting the players’ response and persistence
“Two friendly matches, we lost the first one and drew the second. It could have been better,” Odemba said. “From the first match we took many lessons, worked on them, and you could see we were giving our best to capitalise on the opponent’s weaknesses”
She pointed out that while improvement was evident, mental strength remains a key area requiring urgent attention
“We were hoping for a win, but this shows us there are things we must work on, especially mental toughness, mental preparation and concentration especially in the dying minutes and immediately after we score”
Odemba also appealed for stronger and timely support as the team enters the final stretch of WAFCON preparations
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“We hope the government and the federation will support us fully so we can prepare well and in time”
Goalkeeper Lilian Awuor echoed the coach’s sentiments, saying the team is committed to fixing small but costly errors
“We’ve improved from the first match, but we still have small mistakes that we must fix,” Awuor said. “We’re working on our concentration, communication and decision-making in key moments”
The Harambee Starlets now shift focus to their final training phase as they strive for a strong showing at the 2026 WAFCON
