Awuor confident Harambee Starlets will cruise past Gambia in WAFCON qualifiers

Harambee Starlets goalkeeper Lilian Awuor is confident that Kenya will overcome Gambia in the first leg of the 2026 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifiers, set for Friday at the Nyayo National Stadium.

Awuor, who plays her club football in the Turkish Women’s Premier League with Farul Constanța, believes home advantage will be key as the Starlets aim to outclass the West African side.

“We will be playing at home, and that’s a big advantage for us. An aggregate win will secure our qualification and open more opportunities for players, just as it did when the team qualified in 2016 in Yaoundé, Cameroon,” she said.

The Beldine Odemba-coached side will be seeking to qualify for the continental showpiece for only the second time, their maiden appearance coming in 2016 under then head coach David Ouma.

To reach this stage, the Starlets stunned Tunisia with a hard-fought 1–0 away victory in Sousse on 26 February 2025, courtesy of an early goal from Tereza Engesha. The result sealed a memorable aggregate win after the two sides had drawn 0–0 in Nairobi.

A win over the two legs will send Kenya to Morocco 2026, the first WAFCON edition to feature 16 teams, with the top four nations earning automatic qualification to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

Head coach Beldine Odemba also expressed optimism ahead of the crucial encounter.

“We are ready to face Gambia. The morale in camp is high, and the mood is very positive. We have watched footage of Gambia’s recent matches and understand their strengths and weaknesses. I’m confident we will defeat them. I also thank God that we have no injury concerns,” she said.

The Starlets have been in residential training for over three weeks in preparation for the clash, which will kick off at 4.00 p.m. The return leg is scheduled for 28 October at Stade Lat Dior in Thiès, Senegal.

Tickets are available on tikiti.com or via USSD 51955#, priced at KSh100 for regular seats and KSh500 for VIP.

Kenya advanced after edging Tunisia 1–0 on aggregate, while The Gambia eliminated Niger with a 4–1 aggregate victory.