Harambee Starlets head coach Beldine Odemba has named a 23-player squad set to battle Ivory Coast in two international friendly matches as preparations intensify for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifiers.
Veteran defender Dorcas Shikobe is a notable absentee as she recovers from an injury sustained while playing for her Greek club, Sirines Grevenon.
The Kenyan national women’s football team will face Ivory Coast on Friday at the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan, with the second match scheduled for Tuesday at the same venue. These matches will be crucial for fine-tuning tactics and building match fitness ahead of Starlets’ decisive WAFCON qualifier against Gambia in September.
Kenya booked a place in the final qualification round after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Tunisia last month. With sights set on their second-ever WAFCON appearance—following their 2016 debut in Cameroon—Starlets aim to sharpen their game against a formidable Ivorian side.
Ivory Coast, ranked 64th globally and sixth in Africa, will be playing their first competitive match since December 2023, when they defeated Benin in a friendly double-header. The West African side boasts a strong pedigree, including a third-place finish at the 2014 WAFCON and a historic FIFA Women’s World Cup appearance in 2015.
The upcoming friendlies promise to be a stern test for Starlets as they gear up for a crucial showdown with Gambia in their quest for continental glory.
Full Harambee Starlets Squad
Goalkeepers: Annedy Kundu, Lilian Awuor
Defenders: Enez Mango, Janet Mumo, Ruth Ingosi, Tabitha Amoit, Wincate Kaari, Ann Norah, Vivian Nasaka
Midfielders: Corazone Aquino, Cynthia Shilwatso, Fasila Adhiambo, Lavender Akinyi, Lydia Akoth, Sheryl Angach
Forwards: Mwanalima Adam, Violet Nanjala, Elizabeth Wambui, Rebecca Okwaro, Lucy Kwekwe, Jentrix Shikangwa, Tereza Engesha, Faith Mboya
