Akoth inspires Starlets to a huge 8-0 win over South Sudan

Harambee Starlets striker Neddy Akoth (L) leads her teammates in celebrating their huge win against South Sudan at Nyayo Stadium yesterday. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Neddy Akoth scored four goals to inspire Harambee Starlets to a dominant 8-0 win over South Sudan in a one sided  2022 Africa Women Cup of Nations qualifiers played at Nyayo Stadium on Wednesday.

Akoth scored a first half hat-trick with captain Mwanahalima Adams and Jentrix Shikangwa grabbing bracea in the match that propela them to the next round.

Akoth gave Kenya the lead after two minutes of play before making it 2-0 within the opening five minutes.

At the half hour mark, Akoth grabbed her hat trick before Vihiga Queens striker Jentrix Shikangwa ensured Kenya took a comfortable 4-0 lead at the break with a goal in the 39th minute.

In the final half, captain Mwanahalima Adams joined the party with a goal in the 56th minute before Akoth scored his fourth of the match at the hour mark.

Shikangwa and Adams would later grab their brace to seal a dominant 8-0 win.

Starlets will now face off against either Uganda or Ethiopia in the second round. The winners on aggregate will qualify to join hosts Morocco in the regional showpiece.

The first and second leg fixtures of the first round will be played between June 7 and June 15th with the second round’s first and second leg fixtures will be held between October 18 and October 29.

The 2022 Awcon will double up as the qualifiers for the 2023 Women’s World Cup that will be hosted jointly by Australia and New Zealand.

The semi-finalists at the prestigious continental showpiece will gain automatic qualification to the Women’s World Cup.

Starlets are seeking to make their second ever appearance in the continental showpiece, after the 2016 event held in Cameroon, where they failed to go past the group stage.