High-flying Shilwatso ‘just doing her work’at Kayole
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Reading Time: 3min | Sun. 12.10.25. | 13:35
That passionate support continues to fuel the players’ determination. For Shilwatso, still new to the club, the encouragement from fans has already made a big impression.
FKF Women’s Premier League newcomers Kayole Starlet FC may have had to wait until week two of their top-flight debut for their first full set of three points, but that has not been the case for a new face in their ranks who, much like her team, appears to be laying the groundwork for an exciting career ahead.
Euphrasia Ashley Shilwatso, despite seeing her team fall 2-1 to defending champions Kenya Police Bullets on matchday one, made an instant impact with a stunning free-kick that showed Coach Mary Adhiambo’s charges had plenty of fight in them. The season, though still young, seems destined to showcase what the Cavalry Girls have in store.
A week later, playing away to Gideon Starlets FC in Homa Bay County, Kayole did exactly what many expected, not only securing their first-ever top-flight win but doing so in breathtaking fashion. Shilwatso, in red-hot form, struck twice at the death to help Adhiambo’s side seal a 3-2 comeback victory. Linda Kihara had earlier opened the scoring for Kayole.
“Personally, I feel good about the brace, but most importantly, I helped the team,” Shilwatso said after the match. “As a striker, it’s my role to get the goals.”
Reflecting on the match, she added: “We started well but relaxed at some point, and the opponents used that to their advantage. Being away from home, we knew we had to pull something special, and this was it.”
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Kayole earned promotion from the second tier after finishing the season unbeaten in their zone, a remarkable feat that, however, saw them lose several key players to established top-flight clubs. Unfazed, the management actively engaged in the transfer market, signing a number of reinforcements including Shilwatso, who joined from coastal outfit Bandari Queens.
“It is a new challenge for us, but we are settling in well,” she said. “We came back and fought. I thank God we won in the end. The teamwork is there, and you could tell from how we came from behind. We lost our first match of the season, and it would not have been fair to lose again. We told ourselves we could do it, and we did.”
Kayole boast a robust fanbase and a strong digital media presence, one that very few clubs, even on the men’s side, can rival. That passionate support continues to fuel the players’ determination. For Shilwatso, still new to the club, the encouragement from fans has already made a big impression.
“We love our fans and urge them to keep supporting us as we try to make our mark in the top flight,” she concluded.
Coach Adhiambo, while pleased with the win and Shilwatso’s performance, admits there is still work to be done.
“We thank God for the win, but we struggled a bit, especially conceding twice,” she said. “We have some work to do, and it is about the other players closing the gap between themselves and the top performers. As for Shilwatso, she fights for herself and for the team, and she is clearly enjoying it.”
With their nerves calmed after getting off the mark in their debut campaign, Kayole Starlet will next face another Nyanza side, Kisumu All Starlets, this time at home. The match is scheduled for Saturday, October 18, at the Kasarani Annex.
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