This archive report was first published on 7 November 2019.
On Friday, the Harambee Starlets will face off against Zambia's Shepolopolo at the Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani, in the fourth round of the Olympic Qualifiers. The match is set to be an explosive encounter, with both teams looking to secure a spot in the final round of the qualifiers.
According to Starlets coach David Ouma, the team is highly dependent on captain and midfielder Corazone Aquino, and defender Dorcas Shikobe to set the pace for the team. The Starlets will also be looking to their goalkeeper Annette Kundu to keep out Shepolopolo's strikers Rachael Kundananji and Barabara Banda, who have recently returned from their UEFA outing with 21 and 13 goals under their belts respectively.
Starlets star midfielder Mwanahalima Adam has expressed confidence in the team's ability to beat Shepolopolo, citing their previous matches against better opponents and their determination to win at home. The return leg will be held in Lusaka on Monday.
The Starlets have been boosted by the addition of new call-ups defender Providence Kasiala and midfielder Sylvia Lumasia, who have been training well and are fit for the match. Coach Ouma has expressed gratitude to the FKF and Sports Ministry for their support, which has given the players motivation ahead of the showdown.
The aggregate winner of the two-legged tie will advance to the final round of the qualifiers, where either Cameroon or Ivory Coast await. The winner of the final round will sail through to the Tokyo 2020 Games, while the loser will face Chile in the inter-confederation play-offs.
