What next for junior Starlets after embarrassing meltdown

What next for junior Starlets after embarrassing meltdown

Questions abound to the level of preparedness the junior Harambee Starlets had in the run up to their embarrassing capitulation on home soil in a crucial World Cup qualifier assignment on Sunday.

The  Kenya under 20 -women’s soccer team were eliminated from the World Cup qualifier to be held in France  in August next year after suffering a humiliating 5-1 defeat to Ghana’s  Princesses in the return leg  match at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos yesterday.

This was after soaking a further 5-0 defeat in the first leg in Ghana, which effectively extinguished their faint dreams; bowing out on a 10-1 aggregate, heads down.

However, it must not be forgotten that the preparation of the team was shrouded in top secrecy with journalists in more instances than not being denied a chance to cover their training sessions.

Apart from that, the withdrawal of several key players in the run- up to the game could have also been a catalyst on the junior Starlets meltdown.

The under-20 team pose for a group photo before kick-off in a past assignmnet.PHOTO/FKF
The under-20 team pose for a group photo before kick-off in a past assignmnet.PHOTO/FKF

The team had earned a place in the second round after Botswana withdrew from the competition.

And at the Kenyatta Stadium on Sunday, Ghana stunned Starlets with a first minute goal through Akokye Olivia before Adubea Princella added the second in the 8th minute.

Princella was on target again in injury time of first half to make it 3-0 .  Ghana made it 4-0 in the 75th minute through Grace Acheampong before Princella completed her hat trick in the 87th minute.

Rachel Mwenda brought back life into Kenyan camp when she beat Ghanaian defence to fire past Annan Martha Koffie in goal with a fine shot- but it was too little too late.

The Starlets coach Caroline Ajowi admitted that the result was not good for her team, losing at home by such a huge margin.

“We conceded very silly goals especially in the first half.  We shall go back to the drawing board and try to qualify for the next World Cup.  We shall also scout for many players to bolster the team,” she said.

Ghana’s coach Yusuf Basigi hailed his team’s big victory, adding that he was hopeful of sailing all the way to the global finals.

“Our opponents have a future.  They played a good game but lady luck failed to smile on them.  I know we have qualified for previous World Cups but we have not gone past the group stage, thus our desire to break that jinx next year,” he said.

Football Kenya Federation vice-president Doris Petra said Kenya played Ghana both away and at home without seven key players who are sitting for their KCSE exams.

Part of the crowd that turned up to cheer the Starlets.PHOTO/BONIFACE MUASYA/CITIZEN
Part of the crowd that turned up to cheer the Starlets.PHOTO/BONIFACE MUASYA/CITIZEN

She said the federation should not be blamed for the humiliating defeat. “Losing a match is normal. Ghana have been to World Cup over three times,” she said, adding that the federation has included in the Starlets technical bench trained male coaches.

Report by  Boniface Muasya

Tags:

Football Kenya Federation Ghana Harambee Starlets machakos World Cup qualifier Kenyatta Stadium 10-1 aggregate 5-0 defeat Caroline Ajowi Kenyan under-20 women football team

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