• Odemba said: “It was a fair game. They came for a draw, they got a draw. We have seen areas we need to work on. We will do everything we can to win the second leg.”
• The tactician said players need to be released earlier by their clubs to give them enough time to prepare for the match.
Image: CHARLENE MALWA
Harambee Starlets head coach Beldine Odemba has said there is everything to play for in Tuesday’s 2024 African Women’s Cup of Nations qualifier return leg match against Botswana in Gaborone after the two teams drew 1-1 at Nyayo Stadium on Wednesday.
Botswana scored first, in the 36th minute, through Lesego Dudetsang Radia Kanyo before Marjolen Nekesa equalised for the home team from the penalty spot in the 50th minute.
Starlets could have had one foot in next year’s tournament but missed a penalty late on.
Odemba said: “It was a fair game. They came for a draw, they got a draw. We have seen areas we need to work on. We will do everything we can to win the second leg.”
To reach this final round Starlets beat Cameroon 4-3 on penalties at Nyayo Stadium on September 26 after a 1-1 aggregate at the conclusion of the two legs.
Odemba said the missed penalty should not affect the mentality of her players.
“ I have no regrets about the missed penalty. We have done well with penalties before but every player needs the confidence to take it. Penalties are always a fifty/fifty game so anything can happen,” she added.
Starlets aim to make their second appearance at the 2024 Wafcon, having debuted in the 2016 edition in Cameroon with a historic 3-3 aggregate victory over Algeria.
The tactician said players need to be released earlier by their clubs to give them enough time to prepare for the match.
“The connection in the striking force was low but we will train as a team to build on that. Most of the players were released late by their clubs. We are not lacking anything upfront,” she said. “When you start away you ensure you don’t concede so that at home you win that’s the strategy they came with and we’re satisfied with just a draw.”
While addressing the Kenyan fans who turned up in numbers Odemba said: “Football is a game of mistakes. Mentally, we will be ready for the next leg. We came to get the three points but we only got one. The fans turned up in numbers and it might seem like we disappointed them but I would like to tell them that there are still 90 more minutes. We will not let you down.”
Meanwhile, Odemba delved into the growth and success of Kenyan women’s football in recent years, attributing it to well-run leagues.
“Women’s football is picking up because of the presence of a running league. Schools are also helping us promote it and the Fifa program for schools has helped us nurture talent. It is a positive step,” she concluded.
Kenya will need to secure a victory in the second leg in order to qualify for the Wafcon tournament that will be held in Morocco next year.