Ouma: Ghana Awcon loss is Starlets wake up call

Harambee Starlets head coach David Ouma hopes they have learned bitter lessons from their dispiriting 3-1 loss to Ghana in their Group B Africa Women Cup of Nations (Awcon) ahead of their second clash against Mali on Wednesday.

Starlets surrendered a first half lead on Sunday night to slump to defeat with Ouma claiming his keeper Samantha Akinyi who let in two easy goals could not cope well with playing under floodlights.

Esse Akida had scored Kenya’s first ever goal in the history of the Awcon in the 23rd minute but Samira Suleiman, a controversial Elizabeth Addo goal from the spot and Portia Boakye ensured the Black Queens started their campaign positively to leave Starlets third in the group.

Nigeria thumped Mali 6-0 in the earlier clash to take control of the pool ahead of Ghana on goal difference.

“I thank my players for the performance they exhibited; they attacked and mastered the game well managing to open the scoring until the second half where they conceded the three goals

“However, let us focus on the upcoming match and maintain our ball possession ability and we shall record good results” Ouma told Citizen Digital from Limbe, Cameroon.

“I had instructed my players especially the goalkeeper prior to the game that, they should be very keen when dealing with drop balls because we were playing under floodlights but I hope she will take positives from this game as our next games will be played under the same conditions,” the Starlets boss added.

Ouma however, declined to blame any individual regarding noting the performance whether good or bad was the responsibility of the entire team.

“In our preparations for Mali, we shall have to highlight some flaws witnessed in our team, especially our defence has much to do when dealing with drop balls and losing possession easily.

“By first half we were leading by one goal but soon they equalized and we proceeded to concede other two goals and a controversial penalty,” Ouma rued.

“Our focus is our next match against Mali. We will continue motivating our players to get the best out of them because they have the potential as a team. As a coach, I’m working towards achieving the best, by ensuring I strengthen my players from the experience they got in the first match,” the Starlets boss underscored.

Goal scorer Akida was not pleased with the defeat despite making history when she became the first Kenyan to score at the biennial continental showpiece.

“The game was not good because we lost and Ghana was a tough side. Being our first appearance in the tournament, it was a great challenge and we have learned a lot and everything is learning even if we lost our focus is on the next match,” the striker added.

“As I said earlier, any team at this competition is worthy of being crowned champion and don’t have to be underrated. I had not seen Kenya play and their determination was different. But we did not underrate them.

“We started well in the first five minutes and had a goal disallowed. It turned on us and they had a goal and it boosted their confidence. The opener dawned on my players. During recess, I talked to them and brought them back to life,” Ghana coach Yusuf Basigi told cafonline.com after the game.

Starlets will hope to get a result against the Malians to maintain an interest in the competition with Basigi relishing the clash against the champions.

“Ghana – Nigeria is always a different ball game. They massacred Mali 6-0 but it doesn’t mean that they will massacre Ghana. Let the day comes and we will see what happens,” the Black Queens coach added.

-Additional reporting by Cornelius Kiptum