Motivated Botswana land in Nairobi to face Starlets in Wafcon qualifier

Botswana landed in Nairobi Monday ahead of their 2024 African Women’s Cup of Nations (Wafcon) qualifiers, second round against hosts Harambee Starlets.

The first match of the two-leg affair will be played at Nyayo National Stadium Wednesday. The return leg is scheduled for December 5 at Gaborone National Stadium in Botswana.

Nation Sport understands Botswana’s Mares have been in camp since November 12 preparing for their showdown with Harambee Starlets.

Speaking on Sunday in Gaborone before the team departed for Kenya, the Botswana Football Association president Maclean C. Letshwiti told the associations website that they were confident of a good result in Nairobi.

“The morale within the Botswana football team is currently at an all-time high. There has been a noticeable shift in the team’s performance, and we are now at par with any other football nation.

“I recently spent an entire day with them, providing them with the much-needed motivation to excel. Their determination and behaviour has been commendable, and I am confident that they will achieve the desired results. I emphasized to them that the team badge represents the nation and the diamonds of Botswana, and they must go out and shine,” said Letshwiti.

Starlets, under achieving coach Beldine Odemba, have been boosted by the arrival of midfielder Sheryl Angachi of Ulinzi Starlets, who has been released from military training for this assignment.

Angachi was part of the Starlets team that eliminated fancied Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 aggregate score in their first round encounter in September.

Starlets' key foreign-based players reported to camp Sunday adding morale to the team.