Harambee Starlets sent a strong message to their next opponents after completing a stunning 22-0 aggregate demolition of Seychelles to advance to the next round of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games qualifiers.
Kenya sealed their progression with another emphatic 11-0 victory in the return leg on Monday, October 12, matching their first-leg scoreline to complete one of their most dominant performances in recent history.
Having carried an 11-goal advantage into the second leg, the Starlets showed no signs of slowing down, maintaining their attacking intensity and overwhelming their opponents once again.
The Kenyan side made a blistering start, racing into a 4-0 lead inside the opening 20 minutes. Sylvia Makungu opened the scoring in the seventh minute before Violet Nanjala doubled the advantage. Forward Jentrix Shikangwa then struck twice in quick succession to put Kenya firmly in control.
Vivian Nasuka added a fifth before the break, leaving Seychelles with an uphill task heading into the second half.
The Starlets continued their dominance after the restart, with captain Mwanalima Adam finding the net before Shikangwa completed her hat-trick in the 65th minute. Adam added her second goal, while Fasila Adhiambo extended the advantage with a long-range effort.
Substitute Marion Sirenge also made her mark, converting a penalty before completing her brace to round off another double-digit victory for the hosts.
The result followed Kenya’s equally commanding 11-0 triumph in the first leg on October 8, when the Starlets established their dominance early and laid the foundation for their emphatic aggregate success.
The two victories represent a significant boost for the team as they continue their quest for Olympic qualification, especially after a difficult 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Morocco, where Kenya exited the group stage without a win or a goal.
Attention now shifts to the next round, where the Starlets will face either Malawi or Zimbabwe. Malawi carried a 2-0 advantage into the return leg of their tie, leaving Zimbabwe needing a strong performance to overturn the deficit.
The next round is scheduled for February and March 2027, with the competition expected to provide a much tougher test for the Kenyan side.
With only two African teams set to qualify for the women’s football tournament at the 2028 Olympics, the Starlets will need to maintain their attacking sharpness while strengthening their overall performance against more competitive opposition.
For now, Kenya can celebrate a convincing passage to the next round, having scored 22 goals without conceding across the two legs. The real challenge, however, lies ahead as the Starlets seek to turn their impressive start into a sustained push for a place at the Los Angeles Games.