Harambee Starlets Coach Explains Reason Behind Many Missed Chances

Harambee Starlets coach Beldine Odemba has shared what she feels is behind her team’s lack of efficiency in front of goal.

Starlets beat India 2-0 at Nyayo Stadium on Saturday thanks to goals from Martha Amunyolete and Terry Engesha, to set up a final date with Australia, who beat Malawi 5-0 in the early kick, on Wednesday.

However, Starlets had a number of opportunities that were not taken and it has been a recurring theme in their game which remains a cause for concern ahead of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON 2026) set to take place in Morocco between July 25 and August 16.

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Odemba blames this on the fact that her team is still under construction, remaining confident that all these would have been addressed by the time they head to WAFCON.

“We are trying many players, many strikers and even different combinations and that is why it has not clicked yet but we have confidence that by the time we head to WAFCON, we will be ready,” Odemba told the media after the match.

“The best time as a bench to work on transition and integration is during these friendly matches. When we go to the competition, we are hoping that the team will have gelled well and we will be ready. It would be time to see who is coming and out but we will have ready players for competitions,” she added.

Odemba is relishing the chance to play Australia, one of the world’s top teams, as she believes it will be another great learning experience for her WAFCON-bound team.

‎”It is a mini-World Cup as we play many opponents that we would ideally not have played. When we go to WAFCON, it will be World Cup qualifiers not just Africa because we believe we can also go there,” she said.

‎”We have played today and on Wednesday, we will have the same test.”

Kenya will play Australia for the chance to win the FIFA Series trophy while India and Malawi play in the third-place playoff.