Step up your game, skipper Shikobe tells Starlets players

Kenya women’s football team captain Dorcas Shikobe has urged new players in the team to step up to the challenge of wearing national team colours.

Annedy Kundu, Ruth Ingosi (Cyprus) and Vivian Odhiambo (Portugal) are some of the key players in Harambee Starlets squad who have signed contracts with European clubs, and Shikobe thinks this could open new opportunities for the new players.

Shikobe is enthusiastic about her young team currently training for next week’s Turkish Women Cup, saying that the plan is to carry the momentum from the Olympic qualifiers and Cecafa tournament to Turkey.

“We are yet to get to the national team level of fitness especially with the new players who are still catching up with the rhythm of the team but I am confident that by the end of the week, we will have gauged our strengths in preparation for the matches ahead of us, where we plan to give our very best," said Shikobe.

Starlets on Friday had a warm up friendly match at Camp Toyoyo against Chapa Dimba Na Safaricom Nairobi regional winners Beijing Raiders, beating them 6-0 as they prepare for their mini four-team tournament on Saturday featuring the hosts Ongata Rongai Senior School, Harambee Stars Under 16 side and Dagoretti High School as part of their training before their departure to Turkey on March 2.

Forward Jentrix Shikangwa struck twice before her counterpart Mwanahalima Adam made it 3-0 at the close of the first half. Later in the second half, Stella Anyango, Miriam Lutomia and Diana Hashina scored a goal each bringing Starlets' score to 6-0.

Starlets coach David Ouma told Nation Sport that he is currently impressed by the team’s efforts and believes in their ability to have an impressive run in the upcoming competition. He added that his aim is to give every player an equal opportunity to use the national team as a strong foundation to their future.

“The national team is not where you come to rest and assume that you have made it, this is where you have a platform to show your prowess to local and international scouts and my greatest joy is always seeing players getting these chances to build themselves,” said Ouma.

Ouma added that it will be exciting to see how most of the new players will handle an international competition and from there make an informed decision on who will feature in the Awcon qualifiers in April.

"We would have loved for Esse (Akida) who recently joined Turkish top tier Besiktas to help us in the Turkish Cup but the club has requested that they let her focus more on her orientation there before she starts committing herself elsewhere," said Ouma.

The final squad of 21 players will be named on Sunday.