Harambee Starlets one match away from 2026 Afcon

On Tuesday night, from 7 pm (Kenyan time), the team will play Gambia in a decisive second leg match of the final round of qualifiers at Stade Lat Dior in Thiès, Senegal.

Gambia is hosting the match in Thiès because the West African nation does not have a stadium that meets Caf’s standards for hosting international matches.

Harambee Starlets defeated The Gambia 3-1 in the first leg at Nairobi's Nyayo National Stadium. Mwahalima Adam, Fasilah Adhiambo and Sheylene Opisa each scored for Kenya in the 12th and 19th minutes, and in added time of the first half, respectively, after Gambian striker and captain Fatuomata Kanteh had opened the scoring in the second minute of the match.

To qualify for the 2026 tournament scheduled for Morocco from March 17 to April 3, 2026, Kenya must avoid losing by more than two goals. Also, a draw of any kind will leave Kenya as the aggregate winner, and the team will automatically qualify for the tournament.

Kenya is chasing a second appearance in the tournament in a decade, having failed to qualify for the 2018, 2022, and 2024 editions of the championship.

Kenya last qualified for the tournament in 2016 when Cameroon hosted it. On that occasion, Kenya’s opponents, the Democratic Republic of Congo, withdrew from the qualifiers in the first round, and Kenya advanced to the next round where they drew 3-3 on aggregate with Algeria to qualify on away goals.

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In 2018 and 2024, Kenya was eliminated from the qualifies in the final round. The 2020 qualifiers were cancelled due to Covid -19 pandemic. In 2022, a Fifa ban on Kenya handed Uganda direct qualification as Kenya was suspended from all international competitions for six months. 

In the qualifiers for last year's tournament, Kenya, under current coach Beldine Odemba, eliminated Cameroon 4-3 in post-match penalties after a 1-1 aggregate. But Starlets went on to lose to Botswana 2-1 on aggregate in the final round of the qualifiers.

To make it to the current stage of qualifiers, Starlets defeated Tunisia 1-0 on aggregate via Tereza Engesha’s goal in the return leg after the first leg had ended 0-0.

On the other hand, Gambia defeated Niger 4-1 on aggregate to advance. Coach Odemba is likely to stick to her starting line-up from the first leg, potentially focusing on improving the team’s attack, which squandered several scoring opportunities.

Odemba is expected to start with Lilian Awuor in goal, Lorine Ilavonga, captain Ruth Ingosi and Enez Mango in the back line. Elizabeth Muteshi, Lavender Akinyi, Martha Amnyolete and Adhiambo are expected to start in midfield, with Elizabeth Wambui, Opisa, and Adam in the attack.

Gambia’s Scorpions, coached by Marima Sowe, were overwhelmed in the first leg on both ends. The team’s attack faltered, and the defence collapsed.

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