Harambee Starlets are through to the second round of the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON) qualifiers after upsetting South Sudan’s Bright Starlets 7-1 in the return match of the first round qualification. Mwanahalima Adam and Genrix Shikangwa each grabbed a brace in the win that sees Kenya finish with 15-1 aggregate score against South Sudan. “It has been a good outing for all the players that got the chance to play and even those who were given different roles executed. We are preparing a squad that has players who can play at whatever position and that was evident in the return match. Focus now shifts to preparing for the next round and the scouting for more talent does not stop. The league kicks off next month and that will be a chance to strengthen the squad and work on areas of weakness,” Coach Charles Okere made seven changes to the starting line-up that did duty in the first leg encounter giving a chance to Thika Queens’ Rachael Mwema and Lydia Akoth who did not make the squad on Wednesday as well as Martha Amunyolete to start. Janet Bundi, second half substitutes Terry Engesha and Mercyline Anyango also got a starting berth while Vihiga’s Lilian Awuor was the goalkeeper of choice on the absence of Annette Kundu who has since returned to her Cyprus-based side. The changes prompted Harambee to have Corazone Aquino drop down to Central defence from midfield where she partnered Phoebe Oketch while Anyango marshalled the midfield.It was Harambee who came close to breaking the deadlock in the first fifteen minutes if the match as Mwanahalima Adam headed her attempt, having risen above above the South Sudanese defence, but was denied by the crossbar. 21 minutes in, Neddy Atieno was again in prime position for the opener but her efforts went over the bar. The Kenyans kept knocking on Bright Starlets’ door but nothing gave as the Shilene Booysen-coached side kept a tight defence unlike in the first leg match. Booysen’s charges came close in the 28th minute as Chieng Thomas beat Harambee’s defence but her shot on goal was too weak and Awuor easily handled it. South Sudan’s Makunga Maurine handled the ball in the box and the referee pointed to the penalty box for a kick that was converted by Mwanahalima Adam for the opener in the 36th minute. She added Harambee’s second in the 44th minute. Anyango’s attempt at goal had been headed out by Sumaya Malili who did a poor job her clearance landing on Adam’s path for a low shot to the left side of goal for her brace and the team’s second. Upon redemption, Amunyolete and Engesha gave way for Lorna Nyabuto and Gentrix Shikangwa as Okere looked to inject precision in Harambee’s finishing power. Ten minutes into the second half, Harambee won a free kick in a dangerous spot and the hat trick-chasing Adam was at hand to deliver the kick. Her efforts, however, fell on the Nawal Issac’s path who punched it out but Bundi was at hand to tap in for Harambee’s third. Shikangwa made sure to get her name in the day’s score sheet with a quick brace in the 65th and 73rd minutes. For her first goal, the Vihiga Queens’ marksman was put in position by Nyabuto with a witty pass inside the box and released a shot that Issac, the Bright Starlets keeper, would have easily dealt with had she not been found flat-footed. The second goal for Shikangwa, and fifth for Kenya, came eight minutes later as Shikangwa picked a Adam cross from inside the box to slot home. Bright Starlets’ efforts and good display on the pitch finally paid off in the 71st minute as former Makolanders forward Amy Lasu send her shot flying past Awuor into the left corner of goal from several yards off the box South Sudan’s only score of the round. Thika’s Akoth and first leg star Neddy Atieno also got to the score sheet with goals in the 89th and 91st minutes of the encounter.
