The national women’s football team, Harambee Starlets and their young team Rising Starlets, it was a tale of so close yet so far in a rollercoaster in 2023. The both teams showed some flashes of brilliance during the year but they failed to rise to the occasion, when it mattered most, as Kenya’s dreams for the 2024 Women’s Cup of Nations and the U-20 Women’s World Cup went up in smoke.
FILE
Harambee Starlets, who were in the final stages of the Wafcon qualification, were knocked out by Botswana while Rising Starlets’ dream to play in their maiden World Cup was ended by Cameroon after they were thrushed. Coach Beldine Odemba blamed their loss to play in the August’s fiesta to the absence of eight players who were away doing their national examinations.“I can say that missing my key players affected the performance but the players I called upon to replace them also did a nice job only that luck wasn’t on their side. We accept the results and focus for the next year. I’m urging my girls to maintain the focus.”
The eight players included skipper Jane Hato, Jerrine Nun Adhiambo and striker Faith Naliaka who were then sitting for their KCSE exams.
Starlets’ dreams were shattered after losing 1-0 to Botswana in the second leg as the ‘Mares’ qualified on a 2-1 aggregate score in the final round after snatching a 1-1 draw in Nairobi.
At the Gaborone National Stadium in Botswana, the Kenyans failed to score a crucial penalty yet again after Cynthia Shilwatso’s spot kick was well saved by the Botswana goalkeeper Maitumelo Bosija who also stopped Violet Nanjala’s last minute spot kick in the first leg.
Their dreams of a second appearance were dashed as they fell to a 2-1 aggregate loss to Botswana.