Starlets seek to stop Tanzania’s Taifa Queens in Cecafa final

IN JINJA

Kenya’s Harambee Starlets play Tanzania’s Taifa Queens in the final of the second edition of Cecafa Women Championship on Tuesday from 3.30pm in Jinja.

Starlets have been the most dominant team in this year’s competition whose first edition was played in 1986. Starlets defeated hosts Uganda 4-0 in their opening game and went on to beat Burundi by a similar margin.

Kenya, led by hat-trick queens Christine Nafula and Vivian Odhiambo, then whitewashed Zanzibar 11-0, the highest score in the tournament. 

Kenya’s toughest test so far was in Sunday’s semi-final match against Ethiopia. Starlets were made to fight from a goal down to win 3-2, in the process conceding a goal for the first time in the tournament.

“The road to the final has not been smooth. I have a young team that is hungry to make a name for itself. We expect to put up a spirited fight that should see us crowned champions on Tuesday,” coach David Ouma told Daily Nation Sport in Jinja on Monday.

High-flying Starlets will bank on deadly trio of Neddy Atieno, skipper Mary Kinuthia and Esse Akida to breakdown Tanzania’s defence. Atieno and Kinuthia have each scored four goals at the tournament, while Akida has found the back of the net five times in the tournament.

UNDER NO PRESSURE

“We will just go there to do the job. There is no pressure on us to perform, pressure should be on Tanzania who have been doing a lot of talking. We shall talk with our feet,” Kinuthia said.

Tanzanian coach Sebastian Nkoma insists his team has what it takes to win the title. “Before we came here I expected my team to be in the final, and I am sure we are going to win the title,” Nkoma said after Sunday’s 4-1 win over Uganda in the semis. “Kenya is a good side but we are better and we know how to beat them.” 

Tanzania had beaten Rwanda 3-2 and draw 0-0 with Ethiopia and led their group by toss of a coin after the two sides were tied on everything.

goal difference and head to head, a coin toss was needed to determine who tops Group B.

Tanzania then beat Uganda 4-1. Leading scorer Daniel Donisia on six will be hoping her good form can deliver the Holy Grail.

“We are not here by mistake, Kenya should know that, a final is a final and this one we are not ready to lose,” Donisia said.

In the early kickoff, the hosts Uganda will have to deal with an enterprising Ethiopian side in the third place playoff.