Harambee Starlets begin Four Nations Tournament with tricky Zambia clash
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Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 06.06.26. | 08:24
Odemba's side are using the friendlies to best prepare for the upcoming WAFCON in July
Kenyan women’s national team Harambee Starlets return to action this afternoon, Saturday, 6 June, in a friendly match against Zambia at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium from 1600 hrs.
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The match comes on the first day of the Four Nations Tournament that is taking place in Zambia.
The tournament brings together four nations; Kenya, Zimbabwe, Lesotho as well as hosts Zambia, with each team guaranteed two games.
Kenya head into the tournament on the back of hosting the FIFA Series in April, where they beat highly-ranked India, before losing to World giants Australia in the final.
Kenya, therefore, will approach Zambia full of confidence, and keen to record even a better performance this time round, despite being underdogs in the match due to their low ranking of 128, as compared to Zambia’s 64.
Despite their inferior rank and underdog tag, Starlets captain Mwanalima Adam said Starlets are neither bothered by Zambia's ranking, nor the quality of the players in their squad.
On her part, coach Beldine Odemba is pleased to have landed Zambia in the tournament, and went ahead to explain the importance of the match to their 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) preparations.
“We had requested to play Zambia earlier on. We know they are highly ranked, especially here in Africa, and have played in top tournaments including the Olympics, WAFCON and the World Cup,” said Odemba.
“As we prepare for WAFCON, it is really important for us to play against teams that have already made a mark, and so this friendly is so important for us to evaluate our state and readiness for the WAFCON. They are a top team with many star players, and that is exactly the profile of the teams we need to play currently,” she added.
For Zambia’s Copper Queens head coach Norah Haupte, she lauded the progress that Women football has made in Kenya, while also highlighting how the match will be impactful to her team.
“Kenya has some physical players as well as tall players, and so the match will be key for us to prepare and evaluate our aerial strength,” stated Haupte.
The match will be the fifth time the two nations will be meeting, with both teams claiming a victory apiece, with two other encounters ending in stalemates.
