Harambee Starlets' Marjolen Nekesa learns UEFA Women Champions League group opponents

Harambee Starlets attacker Marjolen Nekesa and her Czech side Slavia Praha will face French Champions Lyon, St. Pölten and SK Brann of Norway in the just concluded draw of the UEFA Women Champions League held on Friday October 20 in Nyon.

Praha advanced to the group stages of the prestigious tournament after a heavy aggregate win of 11-0 against Universitatea Olimpia Cluj in a two-legged fixture that the Starlets net buster shone brightly scoring five goals in the process.

The twenty times Czechoslovakia champions return to the big stage after a dismal performance last term that had them bundled out of Europe’s elite competition at the group stages and will be banking on Nekesa’s prowess to propel them to the last eight.

Nekesa signed for Czech side Slavia in 2022 from Belarusian side Minsk, where she played in the UEFA Women's Champions League and became the first Kenyan women's player to play in the Czech Republic. She was the top scorer of the 2022–23 Czech Women's First League with fourteen goals.

Kenyan Star Marjolen Nekesa propels Slavia Prague into UEFA Women's Champions League Group Stage

It is not the first time Praha will be facing Lyon as the French champions beat Slavia in the 2015/16 quarter-finals, while the Czech club struggled in last season's group stage against St. Pölten, who won 1-0 at Slavia and drew 1-1 away.

Nekesa is the only third Kenyan to ply trade in the coveted women competition after Cynthia Shilwatso and Esse Akida.

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FULL UEFA WOMEN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW

Group A: Barcelona (ESP, holders), Rosengård (SWE), Benfica (POR), Eintracht Frankfurt (GER)

Group B: Lyon (FRA), Slavia Praha (CZE), St. Pölten (AUT), Brann (NOR)

Group C: Bayern München (GER), Paris Saint-Germain (FRA), Roma (ITA), Ajax (NED)

Group D: Chelsea (ENG), Real Madrid (ESP), Häcken (SWE), Paris FC (FRA)