FKF Women Cup: Holders Ulinzi draw little-known TUK Ravens

Holders Ulinzi Starlets will kick off their Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Women's Cup defence against County League side TUK Ravens in the Round of 16. 

The draw of the 2023/24 FKF Women Cup took place at Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) in Nairobi on Friday with the tournament set to commence on April 6-7.

A total of 22 teams will vie for the domestic cup this season. They include eight from the Premier League, four from the second tier league, six from Division One, and four regional and county clubs.

Twelve teams namely Nairobi Starlets, Royal Starlets, TUK Ravens, Ulinzi Starlets, Milima Queens, Gaspo Women, NYS Queens, Nakuru City Queens, Makolanders Women, KISPED Queens, Embu Queens and Kenya Police Bullets will feature in the preliminary round. 

The winners of the preliminary matches will join 10 other teams in the Round of 16. 

Ulinzi have won the domestic cup twice since its inception. The 2022/23 tournament culminated in a thrilling 3-1 victory for Ulinzi over Nakuru City Queens at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi on June 4 last year, securing their second consecutive title. 

Ulinzi coach Joseph Wambua said they are ready to defend their title. 

"Our squad is still the same because the players who won the championship last year are still here. We will only miss four players, who are midfielders Mercy Airo, Sherly Angachi, Lanoline Aoko, and Sophy Adhiambo, as they are continuing with their military training. This trophy is ours, and we will not allow it to leave," said Wambua.

Airo played a key role in last year’s final, where she scored a brace for Ulinzi.

His Kenya Police Bullets counterpart Beldine Odemba will be leading the team for the first time in the domestic cup. 

"This is an opportunity for players in lower leagues to showcase their skills. It not only allows them to gain exposure and recognition, but also contributes to the overall development of soccer in our country. It is also my hope that competitions such as the Caf Confederation Cup will be established in future for female players as well," said Odemba.

Kispeed Queens CEO Leakey Ochieng' said they will return a different team in this year's edition. 

"This will be an exciting competition as the teams battle it out again this year. In the previous edition, our team faced a setback as we were eliminated in the quarter-finals during our debut. It was evident that our players struggled with stage fright when competing against top-tier teams.

"However, we have since regrouped and dedicated ourselves to addressing our weaknesses. I am confident that our team is now well-prepared to compete at a high level and I firmly believe that we have a strong chance of winning the title," said Ochieng. 

Draw

(Nairobi Starlets v Royal Starlets) v (TUK Ravens v Ulinzi Starlets)

(Milima Queens v Gaspo Women) v (NYS Queens v Nakuru City Queens)

(Makolanders Women v KISPED) v (Embu Queens v Kenya Police Bullets)

Kangemi Ladies v Kayole Starlets

Kisiwa Starlets v Vihiga Queens

Vickers Queens v Zetech Sparks

Acakoro Ladies v Kibera Soccer Ladies

Equity Queens vs Bungoma Queens