The Kenya women’s national team wrapped up their FIFA Series campaign with a 2-0 defeat to powerhouse Australia in the final held at Nyayo National Stadium on Wednesday.
The Harambee Starlets advanced to face the Matildas, formerly known as the ‘Female Socceroos’, after securing a 2-0 victory over India. Meanwhile, Australia triumphed with a commanding 5-0 win against Malawi.
In the final against Kenya, Chelsea’s Sam Kerr, who captained the team, opened the scoring before Clare Wheeler added a second goal, ensuring a comfortable victory over a resilient Kenyan side.
The Starlets, under the guidance of coach Beldine Odemba, appeared the stronger side early in the match, prompting Joe Montemurro to be kept busy in goal.
Australia almost gained the upper hand in the 12th minute when Caitlin Foord charged through the midfield to set up Kerr, but the experienced striker’s shot went wide.
Errors from Ochaka
Mwanahalima Adam almost put Kenya ahead in the 20th minute, but Foord expertly denied her from close range. Shortly after, Elizabeth Ochaka’s mistake led to a corner, which resulted in Australia’s opening goal.
The corner taken by Wheeler connected perfectly with Kerr, who executed a quick shot with her right foot past Kenyan goalkeeper Lilian Awuor. This goal came as a surprise to Kenya, who had been effective at containing the Australians up until that point.
Awuor will feel she could have saved Kerr’s effort, as it slipped through her fingers and into the net. Australia headed into half-time with a 1-0 advantage.
In the second half, Australia increased their lead in the 55th minute when Foord made a series of impressive runs down the right before Wheeler skillfully navigated past the Kenyan defence to slot the ball home past Awuor.
The FIFA Series served as valuable preparation for Kenya ahead of the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, which is a crucial step towards the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Malawi finishes fourth after loss to India
In the third-place playoff, Malawi secured a fourth-place finish after a narrow 3-2 loss to India. The Scorchers showed tenacity but were forced to come from behind twice in a fiercely competitive encounter.
Ireen Khumalo and Deborah Henry were on target for Malawi, equalising goals from Astam Oraon and Aveka Singh. India, positioned 67th in the world rankings, took the initial lead in the 18th minute when Oraon scored, but Khumalo equalised shortly before half-time.
Yet, Singh restored India’s lead during stoppage time in the first half. Malawi responded strongly after the break, with Henry equalising again at the 60-minute mark, but Singh’s second goal in the 83rd minute sealed the win for India.
After the match, Malawi’s coach Lovemore Fazili reflected on the defeat, stating: “The game was less challenging compared to our match against Australia.”
“Perhaps some players underestimated India after seeing their loss to Kenya. The goals we conceded should not have happened; such lapses occur when you take things for granted. Finishing fourth is quite disappointing.”
Fazili added: “These matches are crucial for our preparation for WAFCON. We’ve gained important insights and will be cautious in our player selection going forward. We will choose players who are ready to perform, irrespective of their club backgrounds.”
Much like Kenya, Malawi also utilised the FIFA Series to gear up for the upcoming WAFCON in Morocco.
The Scorchers have been placed in a challenging Group C alongside the defending champions, Nigeria’s Falcons, Zambia’s Copper Queens, and Egypt.
Compiled by SportArena.au
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