NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 6- Harambee Starlets are keen to qualify for their second consecutive African Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON) and ahead of their ultimate qualification match against Equatorial Guinea on Wednesday afternoon, the team has urged fans to turn out and give them a thrust of confidence.
Despite a myriad of issues surrounding the Equatorial Guineans including whether or not they should be participating in the qualifiers after they were initially banned by FIFA from contesting in the 2019 Women’s World Cup, Starlets have chosen to keep their eyes on the prize and battle on the pitch.
The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) had initially said they would be appealing against the West Africans against their participation as FIFA banned them due to use of ineligible players.
The 2018 AWCON to be staged in Ghana will also serve as qualifiers for the same World Cup FIFA has banned the Nzalang Nacional and that was the basis of FKF’s appeal.
Also, there have been questions raised on the eligibility of a number of players.
Nonetheless, Starlets have kept their focus to the contest on the pitch and have been training at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos for the past month as they look to earn a ticket to Ghana.
“Training has been very good and the girls are looking forward to the match. The physical and mental levels are impressive and we now need to go out and get the result. The fans should come out in large numbers and give us the support,” head coach David Ouma said after their final training session on Tuesday.
The back-to-back qualifier will be played in the space of three days with the return leg in Malabo scheduled for Saturday and Ouma knows with such kind of demanding fixture, the game should be won in the first leg at home.
“Sometimes it is difficult to plan these closely arranged fixtures and that means we have to give our best in the first leg. We need to take maximum use of our home advantage and get a win so that we make the return leg easier for us,” said the coach.
He expects a tough encounter from the West Africans but notes that his team’s mental strength has vastly improved and they will not be cowed by the pedigree of their opponents.
Equatorial Guinea have won the AWCON twice in 2008 and 2012, finishing second in between in 2010 and qualified for the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“They are a very experienced team because if you look at all their achievements, that does not come easy. We know we are going to face a very tough side but mentally, I think my girls have really grown. They will not be under pressure. The first thing is to make sure we win at home,” the coach said.
An area of concern had been the finishing especially after the team was pushed to the wire by Uganda in the first round of qualification, winning 1-0 on aggregate.
The team had a friendly match against Women’s Premier League leaders Thika Queens winning 5-0 and the huge goal margin was a huge relief for Ouma who saw enough goal scoring prowess in the girls, which he hopes they can replicate against Wednesday’s opponents.
“I am satisfied with how much we have improved tactically in creating chances and scoring. In training and during the match against Thika I have seen sufficient possibility that we can create and score many chances. We have worked to polish the midfield areas and I am confident we are ready for the game on Wednesday,” Ouma noted.
Meanwhile, skipper Wendy Achieng has called on fans to come out in large numbers and support the team with the Football Kenya Federation having waived gate charges for the game.
“We have trained very well and the confidence is high. We really want to qualify for our second Cup of Nations and we want to ask the fans to come out in large numbers and support us,” the left back added.
