STARLETS BEAT EGYPTIANS: Corazone strikes to sink visitors in friendly match

Harambee Starlets Christine Nafula(R) and Sara Abdallah of Egypt battle for ball possession during their friendly match at Kasarani Stadium on Friday 28/10/16.PHOTO:BONIFACE OKENDO

Harambee Starlets picked a 1-0 win over Egypt in an international friendly match played at Kasarani Stadium yesterday.

Corazone Aquino scored the only goal in the 35th minute to give the home team a deserved win.

Ouma made only one change to the starting lineup that lost to Cameroon in a friendly last Saturday with Vivian Corazone earning her starting berth following Nedy Atieno.

Egypt made a complete overhaul to the squad that played a friendly against Women Premier League defending champions Thika Queens on Wednesday.

The hosts started the match on a high with Christine Nafula testing the Egyptian custodian Engy Ahmed in the fifth minute with a long range shot and Ahmed pushed the ball out of play for a corner but nothing came out of it.

Corazone would have opened the scores in the 11th minute but her shot went wide.

Egypt conceded their second corner of the match in the 22nd minute but Caroline Anyango’s shot went over the cross bar.

Three minutes later, Kenya conceded a free kick outside the goal area but Suzanne Louise's feeble shot landed safely in Samatha Akinyi’s safe hands.

The home team pressed on and their efforts were rewarded in the 35th minute, when Corazone broke the deadlock after receiving a pass from Nafula.

The hosts seemed a rejuvenated side after that goal making a series of attacks but they failed to make good use of the chances.

After posting a 1-0 lead in the first half, it was Harambee Starlets who started the second half with intent but they failed to go past the Egyptian defense.

On the hour mark, Kenya conceded a corner kick put it was well defended.

Mary Kinuthia would have extended the lead for the home team but she missed a sitter on the 68th minute but her shot went wide.

Ouma made his second change with Esse Akida paving way for Lilian Adera in the 70th minute.

Meanwhile, two Kenyan referees are among the 47 who are in Cameroon for a refresher course ahead of the 10th edition of AWCON finals.

Referee Caroline Wanjala and assistant referee Maryann Njoroge are representing Kenya in the course that kicked off on Thursday at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) centre.

At the end of the course tomorrow, only 22 whistlers will be selected to take part at the Cup of Nations.