Forward Wanyonyi basks in Starlets conquest of Burundi, dreams of title

 Harambee Starlets forward Violet Nanjala Wanyonyi says their impressive 3-0 win against Burundi in the Cecafa Senior Women’s Championship on Sunday, was a great motivation to clinching the title.

The  Group ‘B’ opener played in the Azam Sports Complex in Dar es Salaam saw midfield dynamo Martha Amunyolet bag a brace  and earning the Player of the Match award.

In extra time, Faith Mboya capped off a strong team display by curling home the third goal. The strike came after Amunyolet’s effort came off the upright, with Mboya reacting quickest to seal the victory in style.

“It’s big motivation for the team as we kicked off the tournament with a win. Burundi was not an easy side to beat but the quality we have in the team proved that we are still the women football giants in the Cecafa region. We are playing Uganda on Tuesday and I’m sure with the good preparation we have had the focus will be to beat them,” she charged.

The win marks a solid start for Starlets, who are back in CECAFA action for the first time since 2019. That year, they beat Burundi 5-0 in the group stage before going on to win the tournament by defeating the hosts, Tanzania, 2-0 in the final.

With key players like Amunyolet and Mboya already stepping up, Kenya will be aiming to build momentum and replicate their championship-winning form of five years ago.

The Starlets' blend of experience and youthful flair has reignited fans' hopes of another title run, and the opening performance has certainly set the tone.