Mathare United Women make winning return to top flight

Mathare United Women made an impressive return to the FKF Women’s Premier League, defeating four-time champions Vihiga Queens 3-1 after a four-year absence from the top flight.

The victory handed Mathare maximum points and provided an early statement of intent against one of the most established teams in Kenyan women’s football.

Speaking to Citizen Digital, head coach Anne Aluoch attributed the result to the team’s hard work during pre-season, saying her players were well prepared for the challenge.

“It was our first match in the Women’s Premier League in four years and we collected all three points. It tells you a lot about our technical bench. We did a lot in our pre-season,” Aluoch said.

Despite the convincing scoreline, Aluoch believes there is still room for improvement, particularly in front of goal. She noted that Mathare created several clear chances but failed to convert most of them.

“We got numerous scoring chances but only utilised three. It could be that there was a bit of anxiety because we were meeting four-time champions, so the players were not so sure about the outcome of the fixture. But we will work on that going forward,” she added.

Aluoch says the team will now focus on improving its finishing ahead of the second league fixture.

The coach also praised Vihiga Queens for their competitiveness, acknowledging that Mathare had to work hard for the victory.

The result leaves Mathare United Women second in the standings with three points, level with Police Bullets, who lead the table on goal difference.

The win provides an encouraging start to Mathare’s return to the top flight and an early glimpse of their ambitions after four years away from the league.