Gallant Kenya leave it late to eliminate Botswana

Kenya’s women football team stunned Botswana at the death at Machako’s Kenyatta Stadium to advance to the next round of the 2016 Olympics qualifiers.

Caroline Anyango commanded wild cheers from the sizeable crowd at the venue when she scored seven seconds before the end of regulation time to hand Kenya a 1-0 victory and ticket to the third round on the away goal rule after the two teams tied 2-2 on aggregate.

“Where our boys won’t take us, our girls will.”

These were the words of Harambee Starlets coach David Ouma after the match.

Botswana’s men team knocked Harambee Stars out of the 2016 Olympics Games qualifiers last month.

LONG BALLS

In the women’s qualifiers, the visitors had won 2-1 in the reverse fixture a week ago and they employed long balls to try and keep the Kenyan girls at bay.

Thuto Ramafifi and Refilwe Rholakele led their attack that relied heavily on fast breaks.

Long serving captain Neddy Atieno was outstanding for Kenya with her impressive tricks and flicks.

She almost scored in the sixth minute, but goalkeeper Sedilame Bosija thwarted her effort for a harmless corner.

She was at it again in the 30th minute with an acrobatic header from Esse Akida’s cross but was inches wide.

At the heart of the Botswana defense was captain Bonang Othagile who was phenomenal with her destroying tactics and sheer shielding power.

She ruthlessly cleared a goal bound strike by Atieno at the stroke of half time as the teams went into recess dead even.

At the restart, Cherise Avilia broke loose on the right flank before dispatching a thunderbolt from outside the box that went narrowly wide.

The home girls suffered a moment of panic in the 50th minute when captain Othagile sent a rasping free kick that beat the Kenyan custodian, but defender Ann Aluoch rushed to clear the danger.

Kenya continued to create and waste until the final moments when Anyango struck.

Two Botswana players were taken to hospital injured.