NAIROBI, Kenya, March 2, 2026 – Harambee Starlets suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Benin on Monday evening in their opening international friendly ahead of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
Despite high expectations following a rigorous training camp in Nairobi, Beldine Odemba’s side struggled to find their rhythm against a clinical Beninese outfit that took advantage of defensive lapses in both halves.
The hosts wasted no time asserting their dominance.
Just 10 minutes into the encounter, Benin breached the Kenyan backline to open the scoring.
The early goal seemed to rattle the Starlets, who spent the better part of the first quarter-hour chasing shadows.
As the half progressed, Kenya began to settle.
The Starlets mounted several offensive surges, looking for an equalizer before the break.
However, a combination of stout Beninese defending and a lack of clinical finishing in the final third saw the Kenyans go into the interval trailing by a solitary goal.
The second half saw Coach Beldine ring in changes to inject pace into the wings, but the script remained largely unchanged.
In the 64th minute, Benin struck a decisive blow.
A well-orchestrated counter-attack doubled their lead, effectively taking the wind out of the Starlets’ sails.
Despite late pressure and a few set-piece opportunities, Kenya could not find a way past the Benin custodian, ending the first of their two West African friendlies with a scoreless scorecard.
While the result is a setback, the technical bench remains focused on the bigger picture.
Coach Beldine Odemba noted that these fixtures are designed to test the squad’s resilience against West African opposition, a style they are likely to encounter during the WAFCON tournament.
The Starlets have little time to dwell on the loss. They are scheduled to face a formidable Ivory Coast side on March 4th.
