Oduor backs Harambee Starlets to overcome Malawi in Olympic qualifiers

Harambee Starlets head coach Godfrey ‘Solo’ Oduor is confident Kenya can overcome Malawi in the third round of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games women’s football qualifiers.

Kenya booked their place in the next round after thrashing Seychelles 22-0 on aggregate in a two-legged encounter at the Ulinzi Sports Complex.

Malawi, nicknamed the Scorchers, were confirmed as Kenya’s next opponents on Tuesday, October 13, after completing a commanding 9-0 aggregate victory over Zimbabwe. Malawi won the second leg 7-0 at the National Sports Stadium in Harare.

Oduor believes the Starlets have made significant progress, particularly in front of goal, and says adequate preparation will be key to overcoming the Malawians.

“We don’t fear Malawi. We know they are one of the giants of women’s football in Africa, but I believe we have enough time to prepare for them,” Oduor said.

“From the two matches against Seychelles, I have seen a lot of improvement, especially in scoring goals. Many of my players were scoring from outside the box, and I believe that if we maintain that tactic, we can overcome our opponents,” he added.

The third round of the CAF women’s Olympic qualifiers will be played over two legs between February 23 and March 6, 2027.

Malawi arrive at the tie with growing ambitions after an impressive campaign at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco, where they reached the final before losing 3-0 to Cameroon.

Kenya, meanwhile, endured a difficult WAFCON campaign, exiting the tournament without a win. The upcoming encounter will therefore provide the Starlets with an important test of their progress against one of the continent’s emerging forces in women’s football.

Oduor was recently appointed interim head coach of the national women’s team, taking over from Beldine Odemba, who left the position by mutual consent.

The Starlets will now look to build on their emphatic victory over Seychelles as they pursue qualification for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.