Nairobi — Despite hitting Angola for six at the Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday in the first leg of their FIFA U20 Women's World Cup second round qualifiers, Rising Starlets head coach Beldine Odemba said she wasn't entirely satisfied and wants more from the girls.
Kenya put one foot into the third round with the 6-1 victory over the Angolans, with the return fixture penciled for this Sunday in Luanda.
"Tactically we didn't play as well as we had prepared but it is good they gave us goals and the results we wanted. They were not aggressive enough but we will work on that to ensure that we are better in the return leg. We might make some changes in midfield for that match," said Odemba.
The same sentiments are shared by forward Valerie Nekesa who scored a hatrick against the Angolans, but virtually she would have had close to five or six on her own.
"I am not happy because I think I should have scored more. I had many chances and I think that is one thing I will need to improve. But I am happy that as a team we have won and now we hope to do better in the return leg," Nekesa, a student at Madira Girls High School said.
Meanwhile, Odemba says she wants to see the girls command the game better and hold on to possession firmer, as they look to pump in a bid for a first ever qualification to the World Cup.
With a five-goal cushion to take to Luanda, the tactician has warned her girls not to be complacent, and says they need to do even better to see off the tie. They just need to avoid defeat away from home or at worse, lose by a margin of less than four goals without scoring and they would still make the next round.
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"We have a big goal difference but we have not won the round. We will go for more goals and work as a team to play for a good result. We need to counter the brilliance we saw the Angolans with and this is not done until we finish the second leg," Odemba added.
Meanwhile, the tactician says the performance and victory by the senior team against Cameroon in the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifiers has given her team more drive to also perform well.
"These girls want something for themselves. They saw what the senior team did in the WAFCON qualifiers and have one more round to play. They are now looking forward to that themselves, and we saw it against Angola," she added.
The Rising Starlets, if victorious against Angola over the two legs, will play with either Cameroon or Botswana. Cameroon's side lead Botswana 2-0 from the first leg.
