Captain Dorcas Shikobe is confident Harambee Starlets will avoid past mistakes when they face Tunisia in a Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Ulinzi Sports Complex Friday afternoon.
Starlets were left to rue two missed penalties as they fell 2-1 on aggregate to Botswana to miss out on the 2024 edition.
After a 1-1 draw in the first leg at Nyayo Stadium, Nairobi, Starlets lost 1-0 away in Gaborone Stadium. The Kenyans missed two spot kicks.
“The feeling is good this time. I’m ready to fight for our Starlets,” Shikobe said. “As a captain, it was tough when we failed to qualify. We are well prepared this time. We promise both the office (Football Kenya Federation) and the fans that we are going to grab a win.”
She is confident in her teammates who include several experienced internationals.
“This game is neither easy nor hard. We take it like any other match. But a qualification game is quite an uphill task. We do know the weight of the task ahead. We want everyone in the squad to take this with all our might,” she said. Shikobe urged supporters to turn up in large numbers.
“I thank the fans for coming out in support of the U-17 team and we urge them to do the same for us,” she said. Coach Beldine Odemba amplified their readiness.
“We are confident and ready for tomorrow’s (Friday) match against Tunisia,” Odemba said. “We will select players who are giving their best in training.
I am glad to have international players, although some came in late due to club commitments but we are monitoring their progress. We also have some of the players from the U-17 and U-20 teams as part of the squad.
"She wants more games and friendly matches to improve their readiness and gauge player progress. “We are training the girls on how to manage the mental aspect of the game and expectations,” she said.
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