WAFCON Qualifiers: Returning Awuor fancies Starlets chances against Botswana

Harambee Starlets goalkeeper Lilian Awuor believes Kenya’s chances of securing a place at next year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) are within their grasp, even as the squad prepares for the final qualification tie against Botswana later this month.

Kenya will host the first leg tie at the Nyayo National Stadium on Wednesday 29 November, followed by the second leg away in Botswana on Tuesday 5 December 2023.

Making her return to the national team set-up, the shot stopper, who plies her trade with French side ASJ Soyaux-Charente said: “Feels good to be back and getting another call up. I feel as if we are all ready to fight and give our best.”

Asked about facing Botswana - a team just off an aggregate 10-1 thrashing of Gabon in the first round, the 24 year old said that the match “will not be easy”, but knew what to expect from her teammates.

“With Kenyans we can do anything,” she said during the team’s training session at the Kasarani Stadium on Wednesday. “We have trained, we have the necessary experience, and have players with capability. Pretty sure we have all it takes to beat them [Botswana]. We have always stood in these moments and we will not let our fans down.”

Also confident in the team’s preparations for the key match was skipper Ruth Ingosi, who urged fans to show up next week, as they did in their previous elimination second-leg tie with Cameroon.

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“The mood in the camp feels great,” she said. “That energy from the Cameroon win is still with us. Calling out to the fans to turn up once again and cheer us on.”

Starlets secured a 1-0 (1-1 on aggregate) 4-3 win on penalties against Cameroon in September, and victory over Botswana on both legs will see Beldine Odemba’s squad seal qualification in the biennial tournament for only the second time in seven years.