NAIROBI, Kenya, October 24, 2025 – Harambee Starlets head coach Beldine Odemba says her players are in high spirits and ready to deliver when they face Gambia in the first leg of the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifiers on Friday evening at Nyayo National Stadium.
Odemba expressed confidence in her team’s preparations, noting that despite the pressure surrounding the decisive fixture, the players remain calm and focused on securing a positive home result.
“The girls are in high spirits and looking forward to the match. We understand this is a big opportunity for them and for Kenya to return to the continental stage. We win these two matches, home and away and we’ll be at WAFCON,” Odemba said.
The coach, who has been fine-tuning the squad for the past three weeks, revealed that her technical team has done extensive analysis on their opponents.
“We’ve watched Gambia’s last two matches against Niger. We’ve studied their approach, seen how they score, and worked to exploit their weaknesses while limiting their strengths,” she explained.
Defender Dorcas Shikobe echoed her coach’s confidence, saying the team is fully prepared and urged fans to rally behind them.
“It’s a must-win for us. We’ve trained hard and we’re ready. We just ask our fans to come out in large numbers and support us like they do for the men’s team,” Shikobe said.
Kenya will host the first leg tonight at 6:00 p.m., before traveling to Thiès, Senegal, for the return leg on Tuesday, October 28.
A win over both legs will see the Starlets qualify for the 2026 WAFCON in Morocco, which for the first time will feature 16 teams.
