The national women’s football team, Harambee Starlets resumed residential training yesterday at the Safaricom Stadium, Kasarani ahead of this year’s Cecafa women’s football championship set for September 11-24 in Kampala, Uganda.
Fresh from participating in the COTIF women’s International football tournament in Spain, Starlets will use the event as build-up ahead if the 12th edition of the Africa Women Cup of Nations set for November 19 to December 3 in Cameroon.
Head coach David Ouma said thanks to the team’s participation in the COTIF event, the players are still in competition mood. “We reported to camp today (yesterday) morning and we are set to embark on our first training session in the afternoon. For the first three days, we will only be having one session but from Thursday, we will stage two,” observed Ouma.
He added, “We have 27 players in the squad but the technical bench intends to whittle it down to 23 players at the end of the week. Of course players will have to fight for the final slots despite impressing in the in previous events,” he said. The inaugural event has attracted teams including Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Sudan, South Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia and hosts Uganda.
Eritrea, Somalia, Djibouti and Zanzibar are the other members of the Cecafa, who are yet to confirm participation while Namibia, Zimbabwe and Malawi have requested to feature as guests. Asked about his take on their opponents ahead of the competition, Ouma said, “We have played some of the nations and we know what to expect from them. But for now, we want to prepare well and make a good account of ourselves in the event,” he said.
“I believe our players have come of age in as far as participating in the International championships is concerned and Cecafa is not any different. This being the fitrst time its being held, the title will be open and we are keen to win the first title ahead of the Cup of Nation.”