Cameroon hit Harambee Starlets at Kasarani

Cameroon's Christine Mannie (left) vies for the ball with Kenya's Neddy Atieno during their international friendly match at Safaricom Stadium, Kasarani on October 22, 2016. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU |

What you need to know:

  • Kenyan women gear up for next month’s Afcon in west Africa
  • Manii penalty for Indomitable Lionesses sinks Ouma’s charges in friendly at Kasarani
  • It was Starlets’ first loss since September 20 when they lost 2-1 to Tanzania in the Cecafa Women Championship finals held in Jinja, Uganda.

Kenya women’s football team Harambee Starlets on Saturday lost 1-0 to Cameroon in an entertaining friendly match at the Safaricom Stadium, Kasarani.

It was Starlets’ first loss since September 20 when they lost 2-1 to Tanzania in the Cecafa Women Championship finals held in Jinja, Uganda.

Indomitable Lionesses captain Christine Mannie scored a penalty in the 70th minute to gift the visitors the morale-boosting victory.

Both teams were using the friendly to prepare for the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations and as expected, they both fielded their best players for the match.

The Kenyan women appeared diminutive in comparison to their burly opponents, but they made good use of their speed especially in the opening moments of the match when they pinned Cameron to their half.

Aside from their physical strengths, Cameroon also presented an intimidating line-up that included six foreign-based players plying their trade in Turkey, Denmark, Finland, Belarus and Rome.

Starlets on the other hand put forward a modest squad based of only home-based players, and coach David Ouma bravely elected to put more numbers upfront.

Forwards Esse Akida, Cherise Avilia, Neddy Atieno and Christine Nafula all started in Ouma’s line-up which was reflective of the team that will do duty in the Afcon competition in Cameroon next month.

The quartet had been at the forefront in Starlets huge victories against Moroccan league sides Wydad Casablanca and CAK Khenifra, and were expected to spearhead the team’s quest for a win.

Team manager Doreen Nabwire, who made a surprise come back from retirement last month, was however left out of the squad.

The home girls began strongly and should have been ahead by the tenth minute but lead striker Neddy Atieno failed to hit the target.

Atieno was at the centre of clear-cut chances in the fourth, fifth and eighth minutes of the match but wasn’t clinical.

Cameroon settled down well in the match as the game wore on and recorded their first real chance in the 20th minute when striker Genevieve Ngo was denied by a block from Kenya’s defender Elizabeth Ambogo.

The visitors began to play with more confidence afterwards, with Batoum Ngo and her fellow striker Akaba Itinriette causing Kenyan fans some anxious moments.

After a goalless first half, Cameroon came back stronger, and Ouma summoned the fresh legs of Jacky Ogol and Irene Ogutu in a bid to strengthen the team.

His team however self destructed in the 69th minute when Ambogo handled the ball inside the box for a penalty. Lionesses captain Mannie converted the penalty.

“Winning wasn’t important to us. We were more interested in finding out whether the team is fit mentally and tactically. Kenya is a good side. I know they have had some very good preparation and they didn’t make it easy for us. But like us they aren’t at their peak. We both need to work very hard in the coming weeks,” Cameroon coach Eno Ngachu said.