Guests Harambee Starlets set to grace COSAFA tournament

The national women’s football team Harambee Starlets are set to participate at this year’s Council of Southern Africa Football Association (COSAFA) Championship in Bulawayao, Zimbabwe.

Starlets Under 20 Coach Ann Aluoch confirmed the senior team has received an invite for the regional tournament that will run from September 13-24 in the second-largest city in Zimbabwe after the capital Harare.

Kenya will compete as guests, taking the place of their East African rivals and reigning Cecafa champions Tanzania who also graced the previous edition held in 2011.

“It’s a major boost for the ladies considering the team has not been in active football competition since the conclusion of the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations in Yaoundé Cameroon last year.

“The team was expected to join the training camp this week but the election temperatures in the country necessitated a postponement. I understand the set up does not currently have a technical bench but the federation will soon name one,” she added.

A total of 12 teams will take part in the fifth edition including; Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe will for the third time host the competition with 2002 and 2011 editions previously being staged in the country.

Consequently, the country has set aside three stadiums – Luveve, White City and Barbourfields – that will be used as host venues.