Ulinzi Starlets keeping the faith in current squad

Kenya Women Premier League (KWPL) Zone A debutants Ulinzi Starlets are not looking to tinker their squad when the transfer window opens in a fortnight as coach Joseph Mwanza believes his squad is complete.

Starting the season on a losing note in the hands of Thika Queens, Ulinzi recovered well and had a good run of four wins before this weekend’s 2-1 loss to 2019 WPL runners-up Gaspo Youth.

On the weekend match played at KCB grounds in Nairobi, Mercy Airo and Winnie Kanyotu scored in the 43rd and 50th minutes to take a 2-0 lead before Jentrix Kuyudi pulled one back for Ulinzi for the 2-1 outcome.

“Our focus now is on the next match. We will have a two-week break before the second leg kicks off and that will be enough time to agree on a way forward. Despite the two losses in the first leg, my team is complete,” said coach Mwanza who over the weekend missed the services of key players among the Lucy Mukhwana and Patricia Amase.

While the military side seemed overpowered by Gaspo in the first half, Mwanza’s pep-talk on the break seemed to work magic as they returned with renewed energy and kept pushing for an equalizer after Kuyudi’s goal.

“We started the Gaspo match badly and lost a lot of chances. Our finishing was wanting. We got more scoring chances than the opponent but could only convert one. It was not really a sense of complacence but the pressure of chasing the match especially in the second half as they had scored in the first half and added a second goal minutes into the second half,” explained Mwanza.

He continued, “This loss was unexpected but I have to make sure we correct our mistakes ahead of the remaining first leg match against Zetech Sparks. We played well in the loss against Gaspo so I am not going to be hard on my girls. We will have a chance to right our wrongs against Gaspo in the second leg so nothing is lost.”

Ulinzi Starlets next takes on Zetech on Saturday 13th February at the Utalii Grounds from 11 AM.