Harambee Starlets outclass Gambia to edge closer to WAFCON return, earn millions

Kenya women’s national football team - Harambee Starlets - took a giant step towards qualifying for their second ever Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after securing a 3-1 win over The Gambia in the first-leg of their final round of qualifiers at the Nyayo National Stadium on Friday, 24 October.

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Starlets, whose only other appearance in the continental showpiece came nine years ago, made a mockery of their inferior status in the FIFA rankings - where they lie 16 points below The Gambia - by pulling off a sensational comeback that will put them in good stead heading into the away return-leg in neutral Senegal on Tuesday, 28 October.

Much-talked-about Sevilla forward Fatoumata Kanteh Cham gave the visitors an early goal inside two minutes after capitalizing from the nervous defending of rookie Lorine Ilavonga, before the hosts turned on the afterburners in style to score three goals in an action-packed half.

Moments after watching the visitors go in front, Beldine Odemba’s side offered a quick response when Mwanalima Adam fired in an equalizer from the spot in the ninth minute, followed by a stunning long-range effort by Fasila Adhiambo in the 19th minute.

Shaylene Opisa, on her senior debut, put the icing on the cake in first half stoppage time with a low finish that rounded off a sleek eight-pass move by the dominant hosts, who barely moved out of second gear in a less frantic second half.

The win, apart from pushing Kenya closer to the WAFCON door, earned the team monetary rewards, with the side set to cash in Ksh5 million from President William Ruto.

In his latest pledge on Friday, Ruto promised the team Ksh5 million for winning at home, plus a cash reward of Ksh1 million or Ksh500,000 for every player should the side win or draw in the away return leg, respectively.

Match Report

After close to a month of training, Harambee Starlets finally got into real action at a fairly-attended Nyayo, the result of a rallying call from the players bidding to make new history.

A brave call by coach Odemba saw her opt for the youthful trio of Ilavonga, Fasila and Opisa, all in a daunting task of fending off a hopeful nation ranked higher than her Starlets.

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The top-level inexperience of Ilavonga however looked to prove costly early on, when the defender dallied on a back-pass to hand the accomplished Fatoumata initiative to pounce the ball and finish low past Lilian Awuor.

Rather than shirking under scoreboard pressure, the hosts fronted up almost immediately, and got their attitude rewarded when one of Odemba’s new toys - Opisa - was fouled inside the box by Bintou Cessay for an obvious penalty.

Adam, with the resulting kick, slammed past a hapless Aminata Gaye, fueling hopes of a comeback win.

That almost came seconds later, only for Opisa to spurn a one-on-one opportunity with the goal gaping.

The honors would fall on the other youngster - Fasila - who stayed true to character by forcing a turnover to wriggle past two white shirts before unleashing a right-footed strike that wrong-footed the goalkeeper.

The stunned visitors could only shoot in anger, and were fortunate not to concede again right in the half-hour mark when Opisa put away her second chance, only for the assistant referee’s flag to go up for an offside on Adam in the build-up.

Pressure however told for Opisa as she capped off a flowing move for Starlets in the second minute of first-half added time, marking her senior debut with a dream goal.

Odemba, after all, had hit the right buttons, despite seeing her side limber to a halt in the second half.

90 minutes away from dreamland.