Kenya head coach Beldine Odemba says her side must quickly learn from their 4-0 defeat by Morocco and refocus on qualification, after a bruising start to their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
The Harambee Starlets were comprehensively beaten by the host nation in their opening group match at the CAN Feminine 2026 in Morocco, leaving them with significant work to do in their remaining fixtures if they are to reach the next round.
Odemba admitted her team struggled badly in key moments of the game, particularly when play turned over in midfield and Morocco were able to break at speed.
“We did not have the control we wanted during transition phases,” she said in her post-match press conference, reflecting on a one-sided contest against the hosts.
The defeat has immediately increased the pressure on Kenya’s next two group matches, which will determine whether they can still progress from the pool despite the heavy loss.
Odemba stressed that the responsibility now lies with her squad to address the shortcomings exposed in their first outing and to produce a stronger collective display in their upcoming games.
“We have two matches left, against Senegal and Algeria; it is up to us to correct our mistakes,” she added, looking ahead to a decisive week for her side at the tournament.
Focus shifts to Senegal and Algeria
Kenya will face Senegal on 30 July, before completing their group-stage schedule against Algeria on 3 August 2026.
Both fixtures are now pivotal to the Harambee Starlets’ hopes of advancing to the knockout stages of the CAN Feminine 2026 in Morocco.
With goal difference potentially important after the 4-0 reverse, Odemba and her staff will be under pressure to tighten up defensively while also finding a way to pose more of an attacking threat against Senegal and Algeria.
Despite the comprehensive nature of the defeat by Morocco, Odemba indicated that Kenya still believe they can recover and put themselves back in contention if they respond quickly on the training ground and in competition.
The match against Senegal will offer the first opportunity for Kenya to show they have rectified the issues that cost them against the hosts, before their final group encounter with Algeria brings the opening phase of their campaign to a close.
