•Ulinzi’s Sheryl Angachi opened the scores barely four minutes into the match before Linda Kihara extended their lead in the 38th minute.
•He said the priority at the moment is to ensure players have ample time to rest before returning to action.
Image: CHARLENE MALWA
Ulinzi head coach Joseph Mwanza says securing a strong first half was crucial in winning the 2024 FKF Women’s Cup at the Police Sacco Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Ulinzi Starlets beat Kibera Soccer Ladies 2-1 to claim their third consecutive title.
Ulinzi’s Sheryl Angachi opened the scores barely four minutes into the match before Linda Kihara extended their lead in the 38th minute. Kibera scored their consolation in the 74th minute through Maximilla Robi.
Coach Mwanza admitted: “This wasn’t an easy match, especially in the second half. Securing a strong first half was crucial in managing the rest of the game. Now, we need to shift our focus to the league.”
The tactician praised the team’s current form, saying: “All our departments are intact and Sheryl had a significant impact on the game. Our first game will be the Super Cup against Kenya Police, so pre-season preparations are crucial. I’m sure our opponents will be on their toes too.”
He said the priority at the moment is to ensure players have ample time to rest before returning to action. “It’s challenging to win the cup without securing the premier league. So I hope to do things differently next year to attain both the cup and the league title next season,” he added.
Ulinzi beat Kenya Police Bullets 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out on May 4 at Dandora Stadium to book a final date with Kibera, who beat Zetech Sparks 2-1 in the other semi-final.
Kibera Soccer Ladies coach David Vijago conceded defeat saying: “The match was not easy but we tried our best, especially, in defence.”
The final was early scheduled for June 16th but had to be postponed to pave the way for the Kenya U17 women's team World Cup qualifiers.
Vijago expressed frustration, saying the delay had significant implications for the teams.
He said: “The delay impacted our plans as we had to change tactics, mainly on conditioning in the match week. Another major undoing was the increased expenses that we had to incur.”
Vijago said players from both sides will also have little time to rest before the next season opens.
Meanwhile, Kenya Police Bullets wrapped up third in the event after coming from behind to edge Zetech Sparks in the playoff staged at the same venue.
The two sides were relegated to the playoff after faltering in their respective Cup semifinals.
Police Bullets head coach Beldene Odemba said: “The match was a tough one. We had played with Zetech in our second last match of the league and I guess this time they worked on their strengths and maximised our weaknesses. All the same, they were very worthy opponents in the match today.”
She said Police Bullets’ next focus will be on the Cecafa Women’s Club Championships, which will be used as a qualifier for the Caf Championship.
Bullets earned the ticket after being crowned FKF Premier League champions on Wednesday last month.
Odemba said they will hit camp immediately ahead of the Cecafa event planned for next month in Ethiopia.
“There are some loopholes we have to fill if we are to represent our country effectively. We used today’s match to gauge our players and we now know where to strengthen including our defensive errors,” Odemba concluded.