Rising Starlets bank on home advantage to overturn deficit
Rising Starlets striker Fasila Adhiambo (right) vies with Cameroon midfielder Marianne Ines Maague during first leg of the third round qualifiers for Under-20 Fifa Women's World Cup at Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Cameroon on November 11, 2023.
What you need to know:
- Lionesses headed by coach Hassan Ibrahim arrived in Kenya on Tuesday and held their last training at the same venue on Thursday. Cameroon won a silver in the women's football tournament during the 2019 African Games held in Rabat, Morocco.
- Starlets made it through to the third round of the qualifiers after a 10-1 aggregate score over Angola, while Cameroon sailed through after a 6-1 aggregate win over Botswana last month.
Kenya’s Rising Starlets will on Friday count on home support when they face Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon in the return leg match of the third round of the 2024 Fifa Under-20 Women's World Cup qualifiers at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi.
Starlets face an uphill task in progressing to the fourth and final round of the competition after losing 3-0 in the first leg match at Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Cameroon last Saturday.
Striker Annie Engamembem scored a brace in the 21st and 36th minutes, before substitute Naomi Eto sealed the win in the 44th minute.
To progress to the next round, coach Beldine Odemba's side must secure a victory by a four-goal margin. The winner of this match will face the winner between Congo Brazzaville and Egypt later this year.
"The camp has been good and the girls are ready. It is evident that the players are improving daily, and the team has already jelled which is a positive sign. However, there is always pressure to perform well and give results. We will do our best to get maximum results," said Odemba after Thursday's training at Nyayo.
She believes that the team has a second chance to prove themselves after losing eight players who are sitting their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations.
"This week, the team has been working on their weaknesses, which is a crucial step towards improvement. Losing eight key players has been a significant challenge, but this doesn't mean that the new players are not good, they are but it is just that they took time to jell. Playing at home with the support of fans is always an advantage and we hope that they will come out in large numbers to support the team," added Odemba.
Captain Rebecca Kwoba said:"We have prepared ourselves well and believe that we can score the four goals needed to qualify. We know that our opponents will come prepared, but we are confident in our abilities. All is not lost, and the team will fight again. Confidence and fan support are all we need. We leave everything to the referee and let the 90 minutes decide."
Lionesses headed by coach Hassan Ibrahim arrived in Kenya on Tuesday and held their last training at the same venue on Thursday. Cameroon won a silver in the women's football tournament during the 2019 African Games held in Rabat, Morocco.
Starlets made it through to the third round of the qualifiers after a 10-1 aggregate score of 10-1 over Angola, while Cameroon sailed through after a 6-1 aggregate win over Botswana last month.
