•The attacking force also boastsJentrix Shikangwa (Beijing Jingtan FC), Topista Situma (Fountain Gates Princess), and Mercy Airo (Ulinzi Stars).
• The country will be hoping for a better tide under coach Odemba who was elevated to her present role after a brief stint as the Kenya U-18 coach.
Image: FILE
Harambee Starlets' head coach Beldine Odemba has named a provisional squad ahead of the upcoming 2024 Africa Women's Cup of Nations.
Starlets, who will report to camp on Sunday, will travel to Yaounde to flex muscles with the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon on September 22 before their return fixture in Nairobi four days later.
The winner of the tie between Starlets and Cameroon will take on either Gabon or Botswana in the second round of the competition.
Odemba's squad is a stellar collection of players drawn from local and foreign clubs, including razor-sharp forward Esse Akida, who won the MVP award with FC PAOK Thessaloniki of Greece earlier in the year.
The attacking force also boasts Jentrix Shikangwa (Beijing Jingtan FC), Topista Situma (Fountain Gates Princess), and Mercy Airo (Ulinzi Stars).
Kenya returned to the international stage in March after the world football governing body, Fifa lifted a ban it had imposed on the country in February last year owing to third-party interference by the government.
Their last international engagement was in November last year against South Sudan in the Africa Women's Cup of Nations qualifiers. After cruising past Sudan, the Starlets were due to play Uganda in a doubleheader as part of the last qualifying round of the Africa Women's Cup of Nations qualifying fixtures in February.
The Ugandans thus progressed to the AWCON finals, joining hosts Morocco as the only teams to have qualified for the continental showpiece that was held in July.
FKF CEO Barry Otieno wrote to the Confederation of African Football, saying the national governing body was unable to carry out preparations for the match because they had been stripped of those powers by the government and locked out of their offices.
The country will be hoping for a better tide under coach Odemba who was elevated to her present role after a brief stint as the Kenya U-18 coach.
She took over the reins from Godfrey 'Solo' Oduor who has since been appointed the head coach of Kenyan Premier League side, Nzoia Sugar.
Provisional Squad
Goalkeepers: Valentine Khwaka (Kenya Police Bullets FC), Annedy Kundu (Ness Atromitos FC), Caroline Rufa (Simba Queens): Defenders: Christine Awuor (Zetech Sparks), Lavender Atieno Okeyo (Kenya Police Bullets FC), Phoebe Owiti (Vihiga Queens), Dorcas Shikobe (Sirines of Grevena), Enez Mango (Farul Constanta), Wincate Kaari (Yanga Princess), Ruth Ingosi (Simba Queens), Vivian Nasaka (Hakkarigucuspor), Quinter Owiti (Kenya Police Bullets FC), Janet Moraa (Vihiga Queens): Midfielders: Cynthia Shilwatso (FC Kryvbas Women), Sheryl Angachi (Ulinzi Starlets), Ketsia Ngaira (Ulinzi Starlets), Vivian Corazone (Simba Queens), Marjolene Nekesa (SK Slavia Praha), Mercyline Anyango (JFK Panthers); Forwards: Jentrix Shikangwa (Beijing Jingtan FC), Topista Situma (Fountain Gates Princess), Elizabeth Wambui (Simba Queens), Mwanalima Adam (Hakkarigucuspor), Airin Madalina (Bunyore Starlets), Esse Akida (FC PAOK), Tereza Engesha (Hyundai Steel R.A), Purity Alukwe (Kenya Police Bullets FC), Violet Nanjala (AMLFF Laayoune), Valerie Nekesa (Soccer Assassins) and Mercy Airo (Ulinzi Stars).