Harambee Starlets captain shares how Ivory Coast friendly is shaping them up for WAFCON qualifier against Gambia

Harambee Starlets in training ahead of their friendly match against Ivory Coast. Photo: Imago

Harambee Starlets captain shares how Ivory Coast friendly is shaping them up for WAFCON qualifier against Gambia

Joel Omotto 21:31 - 06.04.2025

Harambee Starlets captain Corazone Aquino has detailed the importance of playing higher ranked sides like Ivory Coast before their crucial WAFCON qualifier against Gambia.

Harambee Starlets captain Corazone Aquino feels playing friendly matches with higher ranked teams is the best way to prepare for their upcoming 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifier.

Kenya will take on The Gambia in October in a two-legged qualifier which will determine who between the two teams make it to the 2026 WAFCON.

To prepare for the match, Starlets are taking part in friendly matches and are currently in Abidjan, Ivory Coast for two build-up ties against their hosts.

Beldine Odemba’s team lost their first match 2-0 on Friday but have a chance to right those wrongs against the Ivorians in their second friendly at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium on Tuesday which Aquino is looking forward to.

The forward feels playing against higher ranked sides like Ivory Coast, 71 on the FIFA rankings, gives Kenya, who are in position 142, great lessons ahead of the WAFCON qualifier.

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“We lost but we have another match on April 8 and we can do corrections before we go back to the match, be positive and get the result that we expect,” said Aquino as per FKF Media.

“It is one of the best friendlies because it is a team ranked higher than us so I am sure the coming game, we would have learnt something and we would have gauged ourselves.

“It will help us to look forward to the upcoming games and approach our game against Gambia in October well,” she further said.

Kenya went into the friendly against Ivory Coast on the back of good results against Tunisia, when they played out a goalless draw at home, before winning 1-0 away which guaranteed them a place in the final round of the WAFCON qualifiers.

The draw and win also saw them jump seven places on the FIFA rankings and they will hope to get a positive result against Ivory Coast on Tuesday as it could also impact their placing on the table.