Harambee Starlets eye strong response in Sunday rematch against Algeria

Mwanalima Adam/ HANDOUT

The Harambee Starlets return to the Mustapha Tchaker Stadium on Sunday seeking a measured response against Algeria in their second international friendly. 

Kenya head back to Blida aiming to correct issues from Wednesday’s 2–1 defeat while continuing preparations for the 2026 WAFCON finals.

Defender Ruth Ingosi said the loss should be viewed as a learning experience.

“The game was good. Yes, we lost, but this has been a learning moment,” she said. “We’ve seen where we went wrong, and we will work on fixing the mistakes. On Sunday, we won’t repeat them.”

Kenya enter the rematch encouraged by their bright start in the opener. Shirleen Opisa forced an early chance in the third minute before veteran forward Mwanahalima “Dogo” Adam capitalised on an Algerian error to score in the 15th minute.

Coach Beldine Odemba described the sequence as “the kind of ruthlessness we must sustain against top-tier opposition” and wants similar aggression from kickoff on Sunday.

Goalkeeper Lilian Awuor’s sharp 30th-minute save helped preserve Kenya’s first-half composure, a highlight Odemba wants extended across both halves.

She stressed that defensive alertness “must extend into the second half with even greater discipline” after Algeria equalised just two minutes after the interval, exposing transitional weaknesses.

Kenya were forced into counter-attacking breaks that showed promise but lacked the finishing needed to regain control.

Odemba aims for greater decisiveness in the final third.

Her 72nd-minute changes — introducing Corazone Aquino and Valarie Nekesa — settled the team, and Awuor produced another excellent save in the 82nd minute.

However, a stoppage-time winner completed Algeria’s comeback and now shapes Kenya’s technical debrief.

Odemba emphasises that the two-match window in Blida is central to assessing depth, refining combinations and evaluating new call-ups.

She insisted that “friendlies of this calibre are not about panic after a loss but about clarity in preparation,” reinforcing the intention to rotate wisely and tighten structure.

With Football Kenya Federation backing the build-up to WAFCON 2026 and qualification already secured through a 4–1 aggregate win over The Gambia, Sunday’s fixture offers the Starlets a chance to correct defensive lapses, sustain first-half energy and restore momentum ahead of their continental return next March.