Kenya has set sights on a historic maiden appearance at the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations as they face Algeria in the final eliminator this weekend.
The Harambee Starlets departed Nairobi on Wednesday ahead of Friday’s clash against the Lady Fennecs in Algiers.
Kenya drew got a bye into the final round following the withdrawal of DR Congo, putting the East Africans two matches away from a place at the final tournament in Cameroon later in the year.
Head coach David Ouma is upbeat that his side has what it takes to overturn the tables and shock Algeria who edged Ethiopia at the previous round.
“We have prepared very well for that match and we are positive we can have a good result. It is not an easy match because Algeria has a very good team, experienced and quite tactical. For us, we will just go there and give our best and hopefully get a good result away from home,” Ouma told CAFOnline.com.
Skipper Ann Aluoch has reiterated her coach’s words, but said the team will be careful against their hosts. She adds their biggest target will be getting an away goal and remains confident they can contain the North Africans.
“We expect a tough match because if they beat Ethiopia, a side that beat us 5-0 in 2014, it means they are not easy opponents. We have that urge and the push to do well, knowing that we are only two matches away from the AFCON. We want to go there and get an away goal because I know we are a strong team at home,” Aluoch remarked.
Ouma has put in a blend of youth and experience in the squad with veteran Martha Karimi recalled alongside youngsters Viviane Corazon and Mwanalima Adam, both who shone in last year’s East Africa Secondary School games in Rwanda.
The two have managed to squeeze into Ouma’s final list of 20 and 18-year old Corazon is excited at the opportunity of donning the national colours.
“It is such a privilege for me at this tender age to be called to the senior national team. It is a huge challenge playing against Algeria in the qualifiers but we are looking at the possibility of beating them and qualifying for AFCON,” Corazon said.
The team has been dealt a blow with striker Millicent Mwanzia who turns out for Ugandan top tier side Lady Cardinals being ruled out with an ankle injury. Also missing out is experienced midfielder Jacky Ogol who picked up a knee injury in training. While Ogol might be out for long, Mwanzia might feature in the return leg, according to coach Ouma.
The return leg will take place on Tuesday, 12 April 2016 in Nairobi, with the winner qualifying for the final tournament fixed for 19 November – 3 December in the Cameroonian cities of Yaounde and Limbe.
Fixtures
Wednesday, 6 April 2016
Mali vs Equatorial Guinea
Zimbabwe vs Zambia
Tunisia vs Ghana
Thursday, 7 April 2016
Egypt vs Cote d’Ivoire
Friday, 8 April 2016
Algeria vs Kenya
Senegal vs Nigeria
Saturday, 9 April 2016
Botswana vs South Africa
SECOND LEG
Sunday, 10 April 2016
Equatorial Guinea vs Mali
Zambia vs Zimbabwe
Monday, 11 April 2016
Cote d’Ivoire vs Egypt
Tuesday, 12 April 2016
Kenya vs Algeria
Nigeria vs Senegal
Ghana vs Tunisia
South Africa vs Botswana
Kenya drew got a bye into the final round following the withdrawal of DR Congo, putting the East Africans two matches away from a place at the final tournament in Cameroon later in the year.
Head coach David Ouma is upbeat that his side has what it takes to overturn the tables and shock Algeria who edged Ethiopia at the previous round.
“We have prepared very well for that match and we are positive we can have a good result. It is not an easy match because Algeria has a very good team, experienced and quite tactical. For us, we will just go there and give our best and hopefully get a good result away from home,” Ouma told CAFOnline.com.
Skipper Ann Aluoch has reiterated her coach’s words, but said the team will be careful against their hosts. She adds their biggest target will be getting an away goal and remains confident they can contain the North Africans.
“We expect a tough match because if they beat Ethiopia, a side that beat us 5-0 in 2014, it means they are not easy opponents. We have that urge and the push to do well, knowing that we are only two matches away from the AFCON. We want to go there and get an away goal because I know we are a strong team at home,” Aluoch remarked.
Ouma has put in a blend of youth and experience in the squad with veteran Martha Karimi recalled alongside youngsters Viviane Corazon and Mwanalima Adam, both who shone in last year’s East Africa Secondary School games in Rwanda.
The two have managed to squeeze into Ouma’s final list of 20 and 18-year old Corazon is excited at the opportunity of donning the national colours.
“It is such a privilege for me at this tender age to be called to the senior national team. It is a huge challenge playing against Algeria in the qualifiers but we are looking at the possibility of beating them and qualifying for AFCON,” Corazon said.
The team has been dealt a blow with striker Millicent Mwanzia who turns out for Ugandan top tier side Lady Cardinals being ruled out with an ankle injury. Also missing out is experienced midfielder Jacky Ogol who picked up a knee injury in training. While Ogol might be out for long, Mwanzia might feature in the return leg, according to coach Ouma.
The return leg will take place on Tuesday, 12 April 2016 in Nairobi, with the winner qualifying for the final tournament fixed for 19 November – 3 December in the Cameroonian cities of Yaounde and Limbe.
Fixtures
Wednesday, 6 April 2016
Mali vs Equatorial Guinea
Zimbabwe vs Zambia
Tunisia vs Ghana
Thursday, 7 April 2016
Egypt vs Cote d’Ivoire
Friday, 8 April 2016
Algeria vs Kenya
Senegal vs Nigeria
Saturday, 9 April 2016
Botswana vs South Africa
SECOND LEG
Sunday, 10 April 2016
Equatorial Guinea vs Mali
Zambia vs Zimbabwe
Monday, 11 April 2016
Cote d’Ivoire vs Egypt
Tuesday, 12 April 2016
Kenya vs Algeria
Nigeria vs Senegal
Ghana vs Tunisia
South Africa vs Botswana
By: Cafonline.com
RSS Feed