The senior national women’s football team, Harambee Starlets, will be aiming to defy the odds and secure victory against Tunisia this afternoon in their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier return leg match at the Stade Olympique de Sousse in Tunis at 6 PM (EAT).Starlets missed a significant opportunity to close out the tie in Nairobi last Friday during the first leg. Despite creating numerous chances, they settled for a goalless draw.##NAJAVA_MECA_8737079##Head coach Beldine Odemba, who has come under pressure recently, will be hoping to guide her team to either a win or a scoring draw, which would be enough to see them through to the next and final qualification round.Kenya will take encouragement from Tunisia’s mixed record on home soil, where they have struggled in recent matches. Tunisia has suffered home defeats to both Morocco and Tanzania, with Kenya’s regional neighbours delivering a resounding 5-0 victory in a friendly match last July.However, Tunisia managed to bounce back with a win over Botswana, the same team that eliminated Kenya in the last WAFCON qualifiers.Beldine Odemba reveals Harambee Starlets game plan in TunisiaCoach Odemba, whose future with the national team is uncertain and is likely to exit after the match, remains optimistic ahead of the return leg. She believes Tunisia’s anticipated change in strategy for the second leg could play into Harambee Starlets’ hands.”I believe it’s going to be a different match when we play away compared to playing at home. When we go to Tunisia, believe me, they will open the game, and we will equally open the game because we need to score goals,” Odemba said.FKF commits resources to ensure Rising Stars shine at 2025 AFCON U-20Reflecting on the first leg, the coach, despite facing public criticism, insisted that her team executed their game plan well.”We played according to plan. We cannot open our book wide. We just have to peep through the pages and see what can work for us in the second match,” she remarked.She also lamented her team’s failure to capitalize on their chances.”We played well. We were tactical against them, and you could see that we were still able to use the wings. Our main undoing is that we got a lot of chances but couldn’t convert them. If you noticed, we played with two number 9s, and it’s something we will look at during our training sessions,” she added.Coast Stima defying the odds of financial constraintsShould Harambee Starlets advance, they will face the winner between Niger and The Gambia in the final qualification round. A victory in that tie will see them qualify for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).Harambee Starlets Travelling SquadGoalkeepers: Annedy Kundu, Lilian AwuorDefenders: Dorcas Shikobe, Enez Mango, Janet Mumo, Ruth Ingosi, Elizabeth Ochaka, Tabitha AmoitMidfielders: Corazone Aquino, Cynthia Shilwatso, Fasila Adhiambo, Lavender Akinyi, Lydia Akoth, Sheryl Angach,Forwards: Mwanalima Adam, Violet Nanjala, Elizabeth Wambui, Janet Bundi, Rebecca Okwaro, Elizabeth Mideva. Emily Moranga, Jentrix Shikangwa, Tereza EngeshaNew Gor Mahia head coach reveals his concern ahead of Mashemeji Derby
