NAIROBI, Kenya, July 27, 2026 – Harambee Starlets’ long-awaited return to the continental big stage after a decade ended in a baptism of fire on Sunday night, as hosts Morocco delivered a ruthless 4-0 defeat in their TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2026 Group A opener in Rabat.
Driven by a roaring home crowd at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium, the Atlas Lionesses showed no mercy, seizing full control from the opening whistle and handing Kenya a harsh reality check on their tournament comeback.
It could have been a entirely different story had Kenya taken a dream lead in the opening exchanges.
Early in the first half, forward Tereza Engesha found herself with a golden opportunity to put the Starlets ahead, only to watch her powerful strike rattle off the woodwork. That high-water mark quickly gave way to a Moroccan storm.
The hosts capitalized on Kenya’s missed opportunity in the 20th minute when Sakina Ouzraoui broke the deadlock, opening Morocco’s tournament account with a sharp finish.
Before Beldine Odemba’s side could regroup, the Atlas Lionesses struck twice in rapid succession. Maryme Atiq doubled the lead in the 29th minute, and just two minutes later, 33-year-old veteran Jraidi towered over the Starlets’ defense to head home a third, leaving goalkeeper Lilian Awuor with no chance.
By the time the referee blew for halftime, the Starlets found themselves trailing 3-0 after a bruising 45 minutes.
Seeking a spark, head coach Beldine Odemba made a triple substitution at the break, introducing Shilwatso and Shirleen Opisa to steady the ship and add attacking threat.
However, any hopes of a second-half comeback were instantly dashed. Barely two minutes after the restart, Jraidi pounced again to complete her brace and extend Morocco’s lead to 4-0.
To their credit, the Starlets refused to fold completely.
With 30 minutes left on the clock, Kenya managed to string together patches of possession and apply sustained pressure on the host nation’s backline.
The home side eventually subbed off Jraidi, denying her a hat-trick, and comfortably navigated three minutes of added time to secure all three points in front of an ecstatic home crowd.
It is certainly not the start the Harambee Starlets envisioned for their WAFCON comeback, but the group stage is far from over.
Kenya will need to dust themselves off quickly before taking on Senegal on July 30, where nothing short of a turnaround will keep their knockout stage and World Cup qualification dreams alive.
