Harambee Starlets begin Cecafa title hunt
What you need to know:
- Starlets midfielder Vivian Odhiambo, who secured Kenya's second goal against Zambia in their first leg match last week on Saturday, says the team has been training to improve their speed.
- The top two teams from each group will proceed to the semi-finals. The winners in Group A will play against runners up in Group ‘B’ while winners in Group ‘B’ will face the runners up in Group ‘A’.
The 2019 Council of East and Central African Football Association (Cecafa) Women's Championship kicks off Saturday at Chamazi Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Eight countries, including Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Djibouti, Tanzania, South Sudan, Burundi and Zanzibar will highlight the 10-day competition. Kenya is in Group ‘B’ with Uganda, Ethiopia and Djibouti while Group ‘A’ has Tanzania, Burundi, Zanzibar and South Sudan.
The event comes less than a week after Kenya was locked out of the Olympic Games qualifiers. The team was knocked out during their second leg fourth round qualifying match after losing 1-0 (3-2 on aggregate) to Zambia’s Shepolopolo at the Nkoloma Stadium on Monday.
Harambee Starlets are scheduled to have their first Cecafa match tomorrow against Ethiopia, popularly known as “Lucy” and “Dinknesh”. (In reference to the Australopithecus fossil found in the country.)
Starlets were fourth in last year with a joint four points tie with Rwanda that was ranked position five having a four-goal difference. The two teams were two points short of Ethiopia ranked at position three.
Burundi’s “Swallows” will open their campaign Saturday against Zanzibar and the defending champions Tanzania take on South Sudan at the same venue in the evening.
Starlets head coach David Ouma on Wednesday said the team learnt a lot during the Olympic qualification matches. He said they intend to use the lessons in the Cecafa tournament to get to the finals.
Starlets’ forward Mwanahalima Adam said, “We are well rested and prepared for the match. The players have no injuries. We plan to take Ethiopia down with great experience gained after playing Zambia recently. We are not undermining them but we know how good we are.”
Starlets midfielder Vivian Odhiambo, who secured Kenya's second goal against Zambia in their first leg match last week on Saturday, says the team has been training to improve their speed.
The top two teams from each group will proceed to the semi-finals. The winners in Group A will play against runners up in Group ‘B’ while winners in Group ‘B’ will face the runners up in Group ‘A’.
FIXTURES
Saturday:
Burundi v Zanzibar — (2pm)
Tanzania v South Sudan - (4:30pm)
Sunday
Ethiopia v Kenya - (2pm)
Uganda v Djibouti - (4:30pm)
