Harambee Starlets hold Algeria in Nations Cup qualifier
Kenya’s national women football team pulled off an encouraging result in North Africa on Friday night with a 2-2 draw against Algeria in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match.
The Harambee Starlets’ sterling performance left several local football fans buzzing with excitement on social media.
This result places the Kenyan beauties on the verge of qualification for the Nations Cup set for Yaoundé, Cameroon in November this year.
“This is a match we should have won but then we have scored two goals which will be crucial ahead of the second leg at home,” coach David Ouma said.
OWN GOAL
Not even a setback in the opening hour, when the hosts scored through Naima Bouhani could dampen the spirit of coach Ouma’s charges in Algiers.
Instead, the Kenyans fought back forcefully in the second half, first equalizing through an own goal from Fatima Sekouane.
Mwanahalima Adam then handed the Starlets the lead for the first time in the match with five minutes of normal time remaining.
The Kenyans were coasting towards victory until the hosts scored a deserved equalizer at the death.
The Starlets – who qualified for this stage of the tournament after the Democratic Republic of Congo withdrew in the initial round – will play host to the North Africans in the return leg match set for Nairobi on Tuesday.
