- The friendly match between Zambia and Kenya will be played at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola on Saturday June 6.
- Kenya is missing key foreign-based players due to work permit issues and late club releases.
- Zambia is using the game to test their aerial defense against Kenya’s tall and physical squad.
Zambia will host Kenya in a Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) build-up match on Saturday afternoon, at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola with kick-off scheduled for 1630 Hrs.
This fixture serves as a major test for both sides as they finalize their preparations right before the WAFCON tournament which kicks off next month.
For Zambia, it marks a nostalgic milestone as manager Nora Häuptle brings the national team to a venue where she has previously enjoyed some of the most emotionally charged games of her career.
Facing a fellow WAFCON-bound rival ensures that the Copper Queens get a highly competitive examination rather than a standard exhibition game, forcing both sets of players to perform at their absolute best in the opening match of the Four Nations Tournament.
Team News
Kenya faces severe structural setbacks, as head coach Beldine Odemba is dealing with a heavily depleted squad.
The Starlets will definitely be without their Romanian-based FC Farul Constanta duo, goalkeeper Lilian Awuor and defender Enez Mango, who have been ruled out of this trip after failing to sort out recurring work permit issues in time.
Additionally, Odemba is forced to manage a fractured training camp due to the late arrival of the Ulinzi Starlets contingent, including Lorine Ilavonga and Elizabeth Mideva, following a domestic regional tour in Nyanza.
While Tanzanian giants Simba Queens further frustrated the technical bench with repeated delays in releasing key personnel.
Harambee Starlets Probable Lineup
Annedy Kundu,Mary Nthambi,Ruth Ingosi,Elizabeth Ochaka,Leah Andiema,Mwanalima Adam,Martha Amunyollete,Fasila Adhiambo,Eglay Mukhwana,Violet Nanjala,Terry Engesha.
What wa said before the clash
In the pre-match talk, Zambia coach Nora Häuptle took time to reflect on why the picked Harambee Starlets as one of the opponents
“Kenya we already observed one or two pictures and adjusted accordingly. They have been on the FIFA Series playing Australia, for example, and they are a country where they also do their investments in women’s football, that have lifted them back to WAFCON.
They have some players abroad, some of them are very physical and tall players, which is a good thing for us, because we will need to evolve our air control defense-wise.”
Meanwhile, Kenya boss Beldine Odemba exuded intense belief in her squad’s ability to stand toe-to-toe with the world’s best, reacting to the forced omissions by recalling fresh talent. “We have recalled Marion Serenge and Violet Nanjala to come in and fill the gaps,” Odemba stated.
“Marion had a program to work on after the FIFA Series and hopefully, she has improved on it. We want to use this tournament to gauge ourselves and see how ready we are for WAFCON.
We have a good team that is putting in the hard work required to be at its best before we go to Morocco, and so far I am pleased with what I have seen from the players.”
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Head to Head and Form
Kenya remain completely stubborn opponents in recent meetings against the Copper Queens, having famously claimed a stunning 2-0 victory on Zambian soil during their last encounter at the 2024 COSAFA Cup.
The Copper Queens enter this fixture in red-hot form and they boast an incredible home advantage where the manager has publicly prayed for a completely packed 49,800-capacity arena to feed her players the energy of champions.
Kenya, however, are far from pushovers, arriving in Ndola on the heels of a resilient qualification campaign where they fought through a grueling playoff path against Tunisia to book their return to the continental high table for the first time in a decade.
This friendly provides the ultimate test for both teams before they officially kick off their respective Women’s Africa Cup of Nations campaigns next month.
Zambia enter the tournament as one of the heavy continental favorites, aiming to chase the African title, while keeping their broader eyes fixed firmly on a return to the global stage through World Cup qualification.
Kenya, making a proud return to the tournament after missing out on the last few editions, look to use these high-profile tests to sharpen their technical edge, targeting a historic run into the tournament to place themselves in firm contention for a historic global ticket at the World Cup.
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