This archive report was first published on 19 November 2019.
Kenya's Harambee Starlets are set to face off against Djibouti in the ongoing Council of East and Central African Football Association (Cecafa) women's championship at Chamazi Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday.
According to Starlets head coach David Ouma, the team is highly motivated to face Djibouti following their 2-0 win against Ethiopia in their opening match on Sunday at the same venue.
Starlets' midfielders, 17-year-old Jentrix Shikangwa and Cynthia Shilwatso, scored in the 79th and 82nd minutes respectively, securing a refreshing and encouraging win for the team.
Coach Ouma expressed his team's hope to reach the final this year and capitalize on their energy and pace to win it.
Notably, Sunday's win was particularly important for Starlets, who lost 1-0 to Ethiopia in last year's tournament held in Kigali. Kenya finished fourth on a better goal aggregate after finishing on four points, same as fifth-placed Rwanda.
Coach Ouma stated that the team will employ a different strategy in Tuesday's match, having learned lessons from their 3-2 aggregate loss to Zambia in the 2020 Olympic Games qualifiers.
Against Ethiopia, Starlets came out strong in the second half, with captain Dorcas Shikobe standing firm in defense and Mwanahalima Adam putting pressure on their opponents' defense.
Kenya is placed in Group 'B' of the 10-day competition, with Uganda, Ethiopia, and Djibouti, while Group A has Tanzania, Burundi, Zanzibar, and South Sudan.
Coach Ouma also expressed confidence in facing Djibouti, citing their unfamiliarity with the opponent but based on what they saw in their match against Uganda on Sunday, they have a good chance of doing well.
