Harambee Starlets down, but coach David Ouma optimistic
What you need to know:
- Kenya, without a win, face tournament heavyweights Nigeria in their last fixture on Saturday
- Team coach happy with lessons learnt despite hammering from Mali, striker Akida inconsolable
Harambee Starlets succumbed to a 3-1 loss to Mali in their second Group B match of the Africa Women Cup of Nations on Wednesday night at the Limbe Omnisport Stadium to extinguish all hope of advancing to the knockout stage.
Ghana held defending champion Nigeria to a 1-1 draw in the other Group B match.
Ghana, Nigeria and Mali are thus poised to fight it out for the two top group positions that will earn them passage to the semi-finals. Ghana face Mali while Kenya take on defending champs Nigeria on Saturday. Against Mali, coach David Ouma made only two changes to the squad that lost 3-1 to Ghana in the opening game, introducing midfielder Mercy Achieng and defender Irene Ogutu ahead of Christine Nafula and centre half Dorcas Shikobe.
He, however, retained shaky goalkeeper Samantha Akinyi between the sticks, and the Spedag custodian was again guilty of indecisiveness on several occasions.
Mali’s Bassira Toure struck twice to add to Sebe Coulibaly's first half stunner to put Kenya to the sword as the west Africans went 3-0 up.
Cherise Avilia scored a goal for Kenya at the tail end of the game for what little consolation there was.
Starlets striker Esse Akida, who scored Kenya’s first ever goal in the competition on Sunday, was distraught.
“I’m disheartened and disappointed. This is not how we had planned to perform here. We did not expect this. This is tough,” she Daily Nation Sport.
Ouma however picked positives from the game, saying that he was contented with his players’ output.
“We lost due to lack of experience. Mali were the better team today and they won the game purely on mental strength," said Ouma.
“There were moments where the girls panicked and that is why we conceded such simple goals, even from a free kick."
“The good thing however is that we scored from open play.”
"Our chances of making it out of the group are over but I am still looking forward to the game against Nigeria. It will be another opportunity for us to gauge ourselves.”
Kenya now lies bottom of Group B with no points as Nigeria and Ghana occupy the top position with four points each. Mali are third with three points.
FIXTURES
Friday
6pm Zimbabwe v Cameroon (Yaounde)
6pm Egypt v South Africa (Limbe)
Saturday:
6pm Kenya v Nigeria (Limbe)
6pm Ghana v Mali (Yaounde)
