Starlets seek WAFCON revival against Senegal

Kenya opened their Group A campaign with a heavy 4-0 defeat to hosts Morocco on Sunday, leaving Beldine Odemba's side under pressure to deliver a positive result to keep their quarter-final hopes alive

Harambee Starlets goalkeeper Lilian Awuor has rallied Kenyans to keep faith with the team as they look to bounce back from a disappointing start to their 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign when they face Senegal on Thursday.

Kenya opened their Group A campaign with a heavy 4-0 defeat to hosts Morocco on Sunday, leaving Beldine Odemba's side under pressure to deliver a positive result to keep their quarter-final hopes alive.

Awuor, who plays for Romanian Women's Premier League side Farul Constanța, was one of Kenya's standout performers against Morocco, producing a string of saves to prevent an even heavier defeat. She admitted the Starlets were punished for a slow start but insisted the team has learned valuable lessons ahead of the must-win clash.

"We gave our best, but the outcome was not what we wanted. Going into the next match, we will correct the mistakes we made against Morocco. I want to assure Kenyans that we will fight for a win against Senegal," said Awuor.

"We struggled to settle in the first half and conceded three goals, but after that we improved, identified our mistakes and made the necessary adjustments."

The experienced goalkeeper, the only player in the current squad to have featured during Kenya's maiden WAFCON appearance in 2016, said the defeat has not dented the team's confidence. "Our confidence is still there, and the motivation remains high. Our objective is still to reach the semi-finals. One defeat does not mean everything is over. We still have hope because we have two matches left to play," she added.

Kenya will need to improve defensively after Morocco capitalised on lapses in organisation and ball retention to dominate the opening encounter.

However, the Starlets showed glimpses of attacking quality through Fasila Odhiambo and Mwanahalima Adam on the counterattack, while captain Ruth Ingotsi worked tirelessly to marshal the defence.

The Starlets expect a different challenge against Senegal, who are also desperate for points after suffering a 2-0 defeat to Algeria in their opening Group A fixture.

Odemba's side knows another loss would leave qualification hanging by a thread in the expanded 16-team tournament, where only the top two teams in each group and the four best third-placed teams progress to the quarter-finals.

Kenya returned to WAFCON after missing the previous editions, qualifying by edging Tunisia 1-0 on aggregate before defeating The Gambia 4-1 over two legs.

A pre-tournament training camp in France also helped prepare the squad for the continental showpiece.

Experienced attackers Esse Akida, Corazon Aquino and Mwanahalima Adam are expected to play key roles as Kenya seek their first-ever WAFCON victory.

Thursday's match at the Olympic Stadium kicks off at 11:00 p.m. Kenyan time, while Morocco will face Algeria earlier in the day in the other Group A fixture.

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Orijinal haber: https://www.the-star.co.ke/sports/football/2026-07-29-starlets-seek-wafcon-revival-against-senegal