Kenya’s Rising Starlets keeping hope alive ahead of ‘mission impossible’ against Cameroon

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FOOTBALL Kenya’s Rising Starlets keeping hope alive ahead of ‘mission impossible’ against Cameroon

Joel Omotto 07:00 - 17.11.2023

Kenya’s Rising Starlets have not lost hope despite needing a 4-0 win against Cameroon on Friday to advance to the fourth round of the 2024 Under-20 World Cup qualifiers.

Kenya Women's Under 20, Rising Starlets head coach Beldine Odemba remains confident of overturning a huge three-goal deficit against Cameroon to advance to the next round of the Under-20 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers.

Kenya face Cameroon in the return leg of the third round of the qualifiers in Nairobi on Friday but face a near-impossible task as they must win by at least 4-0 to advance to the next phase where either Congo or Egypt awaits.

Odemba’s charges lost 3-0 in Yaoundé last Saturday when the West Africans completed the rout inside 44 minutes but cannot afford another poor display on home soil.

Despite missing eight key players who are currently sitting their National Secondary School Exams, Odemba remains confident that her team can secure the result they need to advance, comparing it to a big war that her soldiers need to come out alive from.

“Football is war, every competition is war. Nobody goes to the battle field thinking of dying, you go there to defend yourself hoping you will come out alive. We have a second chance in this battle,” Odemba said on Thursday.

“The camp is good, the girls are ready. The training is better they are improving daily and I can say the team has gelled.

“There is always pressure to perform and give good results. I would not say I feel the pressure, I will just say we are working well and doing our best to get the best result we can get tomorrow (Friday).

“We have done our analysis and seen our weaknesses, where they beat us and so this week has been about working on our weak sides.”

The coach is counting on the impact of the fans whom she feels can play a big part in the Rising Starlets triumphing by the huge margin that they need.

“The biggest challenge was that we took a long time to gel. We have not had a friendly this week but when you watch the game you will see the difference,” she added.

“There is something about playing at home with the Starlets. We hope the supporters come and push the girls.”

Unlike Kenya, Cameroon are under no pressure as a draw of any kind will see them through and they can even lose 2-0 and still secure their place in the fourth round.

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