Marion Serenge of Harambee Starlets celebrates scoring against Seychelles during the Second leg of their 2028 CAF Women's Olympic Qualifier at the Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi on October 12, 2026. Photo/Oliver Ananda/Sportpicha
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Jentrix Shikangwa marked her return to the Harambee Starlets squad with a hat-trick as Kenya thrashed Seychelles 11-0 in an Olympic Games qualifier at the Ulinzi Sports Complex on Monday.
Second half substitute Marion Serenge grabbed a brace as Sylvia Makungu, Violet Nanjala, Vivian Nasaka, Mwanahalima Adam and Fascila Adhiambo netted one each, equalling the first leg's score - thus cruising to the next round on a 22-0 aggregate.
Coach Godfrey 'Solo' Oduor, only in his second match in charge, changed the entire team that started in last week's win, as he sought to balance playtime for all his squad members.
In the one sided affair, it was a long afternoon for the islanders as Kenya dominated from the first whistle, forcing them to a defensive mode throughout the match.
Jentrix Shikangwa (Left) of Harambee Starlets take on Florentine Samira of Seychelles during the Second leg of their 2028 CAF Women's Olympic Qualifier at the Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi on October 12, 2026. Photo/Oliver Ananda/SportpichaSpeaking after the match, Solo said he was satisfied with the Starlets' performance. "The game was good. We are thankful for the result. The players on the pitch today wanted to prove they too can score eleven after I rotated the team following the success of the first leg. We have a big squad and the competition is very healthy," Solo said. He further expressed confidence in the team as they recover and set sights on the next games. "We will look at the coming game between Malawi and Zimbabwe tomorrow. We will be keeping a close eye on those games to determine who can cause us problems in the next stages. For now, we will focus on recovery as we await the next step. I am happy with the work the girls are doing so far," Solo further said. Seychelles coach Chris Yip-Au acknowledged Kenya was way ahead of their class, noting they will build on the lessons gathered in the two matches. "This is the best we can do. The lineup is different today but you can still see it is stronger. A lot of players play overseas and you can see the experience they bring on the pitch. This is still a learning experience for us and we are grateful for it. Seychelles is a small country so going against Kenya is like standing in front of a mountain. We will start at the base of the mountain and work our way up," said Chris. She further praised number 17 Viviane Corazone for pulling strings in the midfield and controlling the game remarkably throughout the afternoon. The emphatic 22-0 aggregate win is the Starlets' biggest over two legs, and a timely answer to the disappointment of their Wafcon campaign in Morocco. Two different line-ups produced the same 11-0 scoreline, which backs up Oduor's point about the depth in his squad and the healthy competition for places. The winner of the Malawi–Zimbabwe tie awaits in the next round, and that will be a far sterner test than Seychelles. But with confidence high, goals flowing and a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics in sight, Kenya's women have built a strong platform for what comes next.
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