Beldine Odemba Breaks Silence After Costly Own Goal Denies Harambee Starlets CECAFA Glory

Harambee Starlets coach Beldine Odemba.

Beldine Odemba Breaks Silence After Costly Own Goal Denies Harambee Starlets CECAFA Glory

Abigael Wafula 09:15 - 22.06.2025

Coach Beldine Odemba reflected on the Harambee Starlets' CECAFA final loss, pointing to lessons learned and areas to improve.

Harambee Starlets were hoping to walk away with the trophy after maintaining a hot streak at the 2025 CECAFA Women’s Senior Championship at the Azam Complex Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Harambee Starlets started their campaign with a commanding 3-0 victory over Burundi before silencing Uganda 4-0 in their second. Harambee Starlets’ third match saw them take on South Sudan, and they managed to walk away with a 4-0 win.

Heading into the final against Tanzania, who had also maintained a perfect run, Harambee Starlets were determined to give their all, but the Twiga Stars ultimately outsmarted them, sealing a 1-0 victory.

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Harambee Starlets vs Tanzania: Beldine Odemba Breaks Silence

Harambee Starlets
Image source: Harambee Starlets

Following their narrow loss to Tanzania in the final, Harambee Starlets coach Beldine Odemba has expressed her disappointment, emphasising the need to do better in upcoming matches.

Beldine Odemba explained that Harambee Starlets played well, but that was not enough to secure them a win.

She pointed out that they committed a silly mistake, scoring an own goal, but revealed that at that point, communication might have been the major issue.

“The girls played well, let's just agree that Tanzania were a much better team today. Yeah, of course, as a coach, I get disappointed when we don't score or when we are not able to score,” Beldine Odemba revealed.

“I also believe that the girls played well. We were just not able to score today. We conceded a very cheap goal, and we could do better.

“It might be a lack of communication, I will not say that it was a switch off, the second half had just started, and the players were on, but it was just a lack of communication.”

Despite the heartbreak in the final, Harambee Starlets’ performance throughout the tournament was a testament to their growth and potential.

Coach Beldine Odemba’s reflections underscore a team still learning, and with better communication and sharper finishing, Harambee Starlets will be looking to bounce back stronger in future competitions.