Starlets face Equatorial Guinea today
Football
By
Rebecca Jebet
| Jun 09, 2018
Harambee Starlets are eyeing their second continental appearance when they battle hosts Equatorial Guinea in the return leg of the second and final round of the African Women Cup of Nations (Awcon) qualifiers today.
Starlets bask in a 2-1 advantage from the first leg played on Wednesday at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos. Today’s match is at Estadio Nkoantoma De Bata in Malabo.
The winner from the two-legged fixture picks a slot in the 11th edition of Awcon finals set for November in Ghana.
This will be a tough fixture for the David Ouma-coached side considering they are playing an experienced Equatorial Guinea whose players feature in prominent leagues overseas.
It’s a must-win tie for Kenya to qualify for Ghana following their Cameroon 2016 AWCON finals where they were eliminated in the preliminary round after losing all their matches.
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Vihiga Queens forward Teresa Engesha, who has been on form in the league with 18 goals from nine matches, will anchor Starlets’ striking force.
Engesha, who made her debut in the first leg and scored the opener, will be instrumental upfront. The lanky forward will team up with Makolanders’ striker Neddy Atieno in attacking. Atieno missed clear chances in the first leg.
Equatorial Guinea, who are two-time continental champions, bank on their captain Genoveva Anonman, who plies her trade with German Club MSV Duisburg alongside forward Jade Sayo, who scored the opener in the first leg.
Sayo, 31, turns up for Spanish Primera Divison side Madrid Club de Fútbol Femenino where she has scored 14 goals since she joined in 2016.
“We have to complete the task away. This will be a tactical match considering that we are playing away but we will use the set pieces more when open play doesn’t work. We have to push hard when playing away and also control possession of the game. Players must be more dominant in attacking," Ouma said. [Rebecca Jebet]