Football: Junior teams 'need more investment'

Harambee Starlets players Lucy Mukhwana (left) and Dorcas Shikobe lead team members during training at Kasarani Stadium ahead of COSAFA Cup Championships to be held in Zimbabwe on Thursday, Aug 31, 2017. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

It is important to invest in junior teams so that they act as feeders to the senior team, the Harambee Starlets coach has said.

Speaking to The Standard Sports after the national side lost to Zambia 4-2 in the bronze medal fixture in the fifth edition of the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) on Saturday evening, the tactician was quick to note that the team met its objective of finishing in the last four.

“It was hard luck for us. Penalties is lottery. Our girls have put a big fight and I’m proud. The most important thing now, we need to put more in our junior teams - the Under-20 should be starting point,” said Richard Kanyi.

The former Football Kenya Federation Women Premier League two-time champions Thika Queens coach added that COSAFA has been a learning point for his charges as they start preparing for the African Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) qualifiers set for early next year.

Kenya took part in the previous AWCON finals that were held in Cameroon in January but crushed out after losing all their group matches.

“This is good in terms of preparing for CECAFA and the Cup of Nations. These are very important competitions for us but  more elaborated programmes need to be put in place, especially in local leagues,” he added.

Although the team lost to Zambia, long-serving defender Dorcas Shikobe was named Player of the Match following her good performance in the final encounter.

Shikobe made the third accolade for Kenya after Neddy Atieno picked two - one in the match against Mozambique and a second one in the Mauritius match.

Atieno scored a hat-trick in the Mozambique match and added four against Mauritius to emerge the top scorer for Kenya with nine goals. [Rebecca Jebet]