WAFCON Qualifier: Harambee Starlets to face Botswana after Cameroon victory

After seeing off Cameroon in the first round of Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifiers, Harambee Starlets will play Botswana in the second round.

Kenya managed to beat the Central Africans even though they suffered a 1-0 defeat in the first leg in Douala.

Cynthia Shilwatso scored the goal for Kenya at Nyayo Stadium, which pushed the encounter to the penalty shootout.

How Kenya prevailed

Kenya prevailed after scoring four of their spot kicks, while the Indomitable Lions converted three. Ketsia Ngaira, Cynthia Silwatso, Mwanahalima Dogo, and Sheryl Angachi scored for Harambee Starlets, while Ruth Ingosi, who was phenomenal in the game, failed to successfully score her penalty kick.

After the game, head coach Beldine Odemba was elated with the performance as Kenya overcame what had initially looked like an impossible task.

“We opened the game today and we got a goal, and we could have scored more goals while they focused more on individual play.

“I stand at the touchline every day, pushing the men’s and women’s teams. The only difference in the national team is that you play international matches, and in this case, what changes is the tag.

“When I was appointed, I asked the girls whether they believed in a female coach, and they said yes,” Odemba said after the victory.

Ababu Namwamba, the Cabinet Secretary for Sports, congratulated the national women’s team for overcoming a team that has always proved hard to beat.

“What a win.

“Superb win over a strong Cameroon Lionesses, the first-ever victory by any Kenyan team against Cameroon. Indeed, the last time these two teams met, Harambee Starlets were walloped 9-0 on aggregate! Super proud of our supa girls. And cheers Kenyan fans at Nyayo,” Namwamba said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.

Meanwhile, tough battles are expected to be witnessed in the second round as teams fight for tickets to participate in the finals that will be held in Morocco in 2024.

The second-round matches

Mali vs Guinea

Senegal vs Egypt

Kenya vs Botswana

Nigeria vs Cape Verde

Angola vs Zambia

Ghana vs Namibia

Burkina Faso vs South Africa

Congo vs Tunisia

Tanzania vs Togo

Equatorial Guinea vs DR Congo 

Algeria vs Burundi