Rising Starlets looking to turn tables around, eliminate Cameroon

Rising Starlets will be hoping to capitalize on home advantage and beat Cameroon in a convincing way when the two sides clash at the Nyayo National Stadium on Friday in a third round of the 2024 FIFA U20 World Cup qualifier match.

Starlets suffered a 3-0 loss in the first leg of the round of the qualifiers played last Saturday at the Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo in Cameroon and will host the return leg looking to overturn the tie in their favour.

To advance to the fourth round, the Kenyan girls will have to sink more than four unanswered goals. The winner of the round on aggregate will face either Congo Brazzaville or Egypt in the fourth round of the qualifiers.

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Starlets coach Beldine Odemba has previously guided the senior team, the Harambee Starlets in eliminating Cameroon from the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers where Kenya won on post-match penalties.

The senior team had suffered a 1-0 defeat in Cameroon but registered a similar result in the return leg in Nairobi before winning the tie from the penalty shootouts lotteries.

Odemba believes that the junior team has what it takes to replicate what their seniors did and dump Cameroon out of the tournament.

“We will do our best to get good results,” remarked Odemba during the final engagement with the press on Thursday.

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The CAF B coaching badge holder noted improvements in the team despite the absence of key players who are sitting for their KCSE examinations.

“The team has gelled owing to the number of days we have been in camp,” said Odemba while calling on Kenyans to turn up in large numbers and back the girls.

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Odemba’s belief to turn the tables round is one which her skipper Rebecca Kwoba bears.

Kwoba wore the armband in the first leg in the absence of Jane Hato who is among the unavailable players.

Kenya eliminated Angola in the second round in a resounding 10-1 win on aggregate while Cameroon beat Botswana 6-1 on aggregate.