Nairobi — Harambee Starlets head coach Beldine Odemba is confident they will overturn the 1-0 deficit against Cameroon in the return leg of their Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) first round qualifier on Tuesday afternoon.
Starlets lost by a solitary goal to the indomitable Lionesses in the first leg in Douala on Friday, and need to win by a margin of more than two goals to progress to the second round.
Odemba believes that with the home ground advantage and a slim 1-0 ground to cover, the team has what it takes.
"The spirits are high in camp and the girls are really pushing themselves to get a good result. We did well in Cameroon and suffered a slim loss. I believe it is something that we can recover. The plan at home is to turn the tables. When you play ay home you have to give your best," the tactician stated.
She added; "If we play according to the plan that we have as a technical bench and the girls execute the instructions, then we should expect good results."
Odemba says she was pleased with how the girls performed in the first leg, ruing the first goal to nerves and admits the girls took long to settle into the game.
However, she notes that she is proud of the performance they had and believes if they can go a notch higher, they will be playing in the second round.
"I was very impressed with how we played. Sometimes there is a bit of fear because you are at home and there's the 12th man factor too. It has been long since we played at a full stadium and with that kind of nostalgia, you can understand that it took time for them to get into the game, but they ultimately did and we played well," the tactician said.
"I remember during the press conference before the game, they said that the last time we played them they beat us an aggregate of 9-0. They only beat us 1-0 and that shows you there has been improvement. It is definitely not the result we wanted but we did better," added the coach.
The match will be played at the Nyayo National Stadium at 3pm, with the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) announcing free entrance for all fans.
Odemba has called on football enthusiasts to turn up in large numbers and cheer them on, as they seek to slay the Indomitable Lions at home and keep their Cup of Nations hopes alive.
