Harambee Starlets players check in for residential camp

Kenya Rising Starlets coach Charles Okere

Kenya Rising Starlets coach Charles Okere gives instructions from the touchline during their Fifa 2022 Under-20 Women World Cup second round first leg qualifying match against Kenya at Nyayo National Stadium on September 25, 2021

Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • The team will have a 10-day residential camp at the hotel, coach Charles Okere said, adding that the training venue will be announced
  • Starlets are scheduled to play South Sudan in first leg on October 20 at the Nyayo National Stadium
  • Okere, who guided Vihiga Queens to qualify for the inaugural Caf Women’s Champions League after outclassing Ethiopia’s CBE in Nairobi, told Nation Sport that this is a chance for the national team players to redeem themselves

National women’s team Harambee Starlets players Sunday began arriving at La Mada Hotel in Nairobi to start preparations for the 2022 Africa Women Cup of Nations (Awcon) qualifiers.

The team will have a 10-day residential camp at the hotel, coach Charles Okere said, adding that the training venue will be announced.

Starlets are scheduled to play South Sudan in first leg on October 20 at the Nyayo National Stadium. The return leg match will be played on October 24 at the same venue.
Okere has picked a provisional side of 31 players for this assignment.

During the 2016 Awcon championship held in Cameroon, Kenya were knocked out of the competition after losing to Ghana (3-1), Mali (3-1) and Nigeria (4-0) in the group stage.

Starlets did not qualify for the 2018 competition after losing to Uganda and Equatorial Guinea in the qualifying matches. 

The 2022 Awcon will take place in Morocco between July 2-23. The tournament will double up as the African qualifiers for the women’s 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

The top four teams in Morocco will qualify for the World Cup, and two more teams will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs.

The Awcon was supposed to be held last year but the event was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Okere, who guided Vihiga Queens to qualify for the inaugural Caf Women’s Champions League after outclassing Ethiopia’s CBE in Nairobi, told Nation Sport that this is a chance for the national team players to redeem themselves.

“From the list of names, you can tell this is a strong team because experienced players are in the team. We have over a week to train and we are confident of getting a positive result. Last time the team had a different coach, expect everything to be different including the training strategy,” he said. 

After Vihiga Queens beat CBE in the inaugural Cecafa Clubs Championship to qualify for the Champions League, Okere handled the Rising Starlets during the Fifa 2022 Women’s Under-20 World Cup second round qualifiers.

But the team’s hopes of progressing to the third round were shattered after they lost 3-1 in their second leg match against Uganda at the St. Mary’s Stadium, Kampala on Friday.
They were thrashed 7-2 by Uganda’s junior Crested Cranes in their first leg of the age-group competition staged at the Nyayo National Stadium on September 25.

Kenya were eliminated from the competition, while Uganda will now face the winner of the second round tie between Mozambique and South Africa.

”The U-20 qualifiers were a different ball game for the young players who were getting exposed to such levels of competitions for the first time. It was hard for all of us but most importantly it was a learning experience that will forever guide these players in future contests. I hope that the team we formed this time will remain intact and continue training together by playing in friendly matches until the next qualifiers,” Okere said.

Some of the familiar names in the camp include Lakatama FC player and Harambee Starlets captain Dorcas Shikobe, Annedy Kundu and Ruth Ingotsi who were previously attached to Cyprus Division one side AEL Champions and Mwanahalima Adam and Neddy Atieno who were part of the squad that represented the country in the 2018 qualifiers.

Squad

Goalkeepers

Annette Kundu (Unattached), Pauline Katharu (Kibera GirlsSoccer), Lilian Awour (Vihiga Queens) Maureen Shimuli (Ulinzi Starlets)

Defenders

Vivian Nasaka (Vihiga Queens), Juliet Adipo (Kayole Starlet), Dorcas Shikobe (Lakatama FC), Lucy Akoth (Mathare United Women FC), Dorcas Neema (Nakuru Queens), Phoebe Awiti (Vihiga Queens), Enez Mango (Vihiga Queens), Nelly Sawe (Thika Queens), Ruth Ingotsi (Unattached)

Midfielders

Sheril Angach (Gaspo Women), Corazone Aquino (Gaspo Women), Mercy Oginga (Vihiga Queens), Lydia Akoth (Thika Queens), Lilian Mmboga (Kibera Girls Soccer), Lorna Nyarinda (Kibera Girls Soccer), Martha Amunyolet (Transzoia Queens), Maureen Ater (Vihiga Queens), Merceline Wayodi (Kisumu All Starlets)

Attackers

Terry Engesha (Vihiga Queens), Rachael Mwema (Thika Queens), Janet Bundi (Vihiga Queens), Jentrix Shikangwa (Vihiga Queens), Lucy Mukhwana (Ulinzi Starlets), Neddy Akoth (Ulinzi)