Valarie Nekesa celebrates after scoring against Seychelles/HANDOUT Head coach Godfrey Oduor has warned Harambee Starlets against complacency despite their emphatic 11-0 win over Seychelles in the first leg of the Olympic qualifier at Ulinzi Sports Complex.
Oduor wants Harambee Starlets to maintain their attacking intent in the return leg on Monday, insisting Kenya will not relax despite their commanding victory.
“We do not intend to relax a bit, nor do we underestimate our opponent. We will create more chances in attack and aim to score more goals. We will work on our mistakes to get more desired results,” Oduor said.
Valary Nekesa set the tone with an early strike before Elizabeth Muteshi doubled Kenya’s advantage as the Starlets quickly asserted their dominance against a Seychelles side that struggled to contain the visitors.
Nekesa added another as Kenya piled on the pressure, while Airin Madalina also found the net twice to give Starlets a commanding advantage. Martha Amunyolet and Airo completed the rout after the break, with Madeline also getting on the score sheet as Kenya stretched the margin to eight.
Elizabeth Mideva (87th minute), Mercy Airo (91st minute), and Elizabeth Mideva (93rd minute) closed the scoreline. The emphatic victory gives Kenya an advantage ahead of Monday’s return leg at Ulinzi Sports Complex, with Seychelles serving as the nominal home side in Thursday’s fixture.
The match marked the first competitive assignment for interim head coach Godfrey Oduor, who was appointed barely a fortnight ago following the departure of Beldine Odemba.
Oduor promised to give his squad a fresh attacking approach while keeping focus on the opponent. “We will create more scoring chances for our girls and not underestimate our opponents in any way. The senior girls who did not feature in the first XI will have the opportunity in the next game,” Oduor said.
The coach also addressed the absence of some players who had been summoned to camp but failed to report, insisting discipline remains non-negotiable. “For the girls who were called and did not make it to camp, it is a matter of discipline. Rules have to be followed,” he said.
The result represents a strong response from Starlets after a disappointing 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Morocco, where they failed to win or score, losing 4-0 to the hosts, 1-0 to Senegal and 2-0 to Algeria.
Kenya entered Thursday’s tie as overwhelming favourites. The island nation had endured heavy defeats against Ethiopia in warm-up matches, losing 16-0 before suffering another 10-0 defeat on October 3.
Starlets seek to navigate the two-legged tie and continue their long route towards the 2028 Olympics, with Oduor keen to build a side capable of competing beyond the opening rounds. Kenya were further strengthened by the return of forward Jentrix Shikangwa and Corazone Aquino, who had been left out of the 2026 WAFCON squad
