By Rebecca Magoma
The national women’s football team, Harambee Starlets will face Ethiopia in the first semi-finals of the Cecafa Women Tournament today from 1:30 pm at Technical Centre,Njeru.
This will be a repeat of an international friendly match in 2012 where Ethiopia comfortably won by 5-0 in Addis Ababa.
The hosts, Uganda will take on Tanzania in the second semi-final from 3:30 pm. Kenya topped Group A with nine points ahead of Uganda who had six while Tanzania topped Group B after a coin toss following a barren draw against Ethiopia in their final preliminary match.
Kenya’s coach David Ouma will revert to his regular starters ; left back Wendy Achieng, right back Ann Aluoch, midfielders Carolyne Anyango and Cheris Avilia who were rested in the final group A preliminary match against Zanzibar where they registered 11-0 win.
Wingers Neddy Atieno and Esse Akida who came in as substitutes in the Zanzibar match are expected in the starting line-up alongside team captain Mary Kinuthia.
Ethiopia has very swift midfielders in the name of Etsegenet Bizuneh,Emebet Addisu and Berktawit Girma who have been brilliant in terms of feeding crosses to the attackers and if Kenya will cut the supply they will contain the Ethiopians.
Kenya will also have to contain Ethiopian wingers, the duo of Shetaye Sisaya and Rosa Abera. Sisaya has been an instrumental player in the tournament delivering crosses from the left wing and she has shown the ability to deliver in front of goal despite missing several chances especially in their match against Tanzania.
Abera has scored two goals so far in the tournament from their opening fixture against Rwanda.
Ouma will stick to his normal and preferred format of 4-3-3, the same format the Ethiopian coach Mezeret Manni has been using in this tournament.
At the same time, Christine Nafula will not feature in the semi-final match against Ethiopia, Nafula scored a hat-trick in Harambee Starlets final preliminary Group A match against Zanzibar on Thursday where the team posted a resounding 11-0 win.
Nafula’s absence in this match will be a blow for the David Ouma-coached side that is yearning for their maiden title.
A total of 50 goals have been scored from nine matches played at the group stages to post an average of 6.1 goals per match where Kenya’s Esse Akida tops the scoring chat with five goals and is closely followed by another Kenyan, Corazone Aquino and Uganda’s Nasuna Hasifa who have scored four goals each.
