Ouma calls for Starlets improvement in CECAFA tourney

Despite edging Ethiopia 2-0 in their CECAFA opener on Saturday, Harambee Starlets head coach David Ouma wants more from his side ahead of their second match against Djibouti on Tuesday.

Jentrix Shikangwa and Cynthia Shilwatso scored for Starlets in the Group B match held at Chawaza Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Ouma praised his charges for the hard-fought victory over a tough Ethiopian side.

“I want to congratulate my players for what they did on the pitch to earn the three points. Of course, we had to change our game plan from the Olympic qualifiers matches. Ethiopia is usually a very strong side, we tried to unlock their compactness from the beginning of the game,” Ouma told Citizen Digital.

With Starlets primed to face Djibouti tomorrow before taking on Uganda on Thursday, Ouma has called for ruthlessness from his side.

“We had almost four chances to settle in the game but unfortunately we could not convert them. My striking force led by Janet Bundi and Mwanahalima Adam should work on utilizing such chances. Also, we have to improve in our set pieces which we failed to utilize today,” said Ouma.

Starlets finished fourth in the last edition of the regional tournament held in Kigali, Rwanda, a drop from the first runners-up position they achieved at the 2016 edition.

The team left for the week-long competition after being eliminated from the 2020 Olympic Games Qualifiers by Zambia.