Harambee Starlets thump minnows Seychelles to start 2028 Olympic dream in style

Harambee Starlets thumped minnows Seychelles 11-0 to start their journey to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games on a high note on Thursday afternoon at the Ulinzi Sports Complex.

Starlets were the away side in this first-round, first-leg qualifier, with Seychelles hosting the fixture.

The emphatic victory gives Kenya a huge advantage ahead of the return leg at the same venue on Monday, October 12, leaving Seychelles with a mountain to climb if they are to mount a comeback.

The result also marked a new beginning for Harambee Starlets under a new technical bench led by Godfrey Odour, who started his interim coaching stint with a massive victory.

The win also saw Starlets return to winning ways after a disappointing outing in their last Women’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign some months ago in Morocco, where they wrapped up their group-stage campaign without a win or a goal.

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Starlets had an easy one on their hands and just eight minutes into the game, they were already ahead after Valerie Nekesa managed to spill the first blood, thanks to a brilliant chip and cross from Mercy Airo.

Seychelles’ defence looked vulnerable, and it took Starlets just 12 minutes to double their advantage after a scramble inside the box. Airo managed to get a touch on the loose ball before Elizabeth Mideva was on hand to finish it off, making it 2-0.

While Seychelles tried to hold firm in the latter stages of the first half, Airo produced another clever chip for Nekesa, who beat her marker with a neat dribble before unleashing a shot to give Kenya a comfortable 3-0 lead at the break.

Just as it took Kenya eight minutes to find their first goal, it took the same amount of time to add the fourth after the restart, with Muteshi completing her brace with a fine finish.

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The fifth arrived just after the hour mark when Martha Amunyolete’s long-range effort struck the woodwork. The rebound fell kindly towards Airin Madaline, who made no mistake as she fired home for Kenya’s fifth.

Kenya saved their most ruthless spell for the final 10 minutes of the game, scoring six goals in a devastating late onslaught.

Madaline grabbed her second with a header from a free-kick, while the seventh came from outside the box after Amunyolete unleashed a powerful effort.

After her impressive involvement in the first half, Airo once again found herself on the scoresheet, this time with a well-taken header from a Leah Andiema cross. Just two minutes later, Elizabeth Mideva added another to make it 9-0.

The same duo of Airo and Mideva then sealed the rout with the 10th and 11th goals respectively, ensuring Starlets secured a commanding first-leg victory ahead of hosting Seychelles in the return fixture.