WAFCON (Q): Kenya return to finals after beating Gambia home and away

The Kenya women’s national team confirmed qualification for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) with a 4-1 aggregate win over Gambia following Tuesday’s 1-0 return leg victory at the Stade Lat Dior in Thies, Senegal.

Starlets went into the game having won the first leg 3-1 in Nairobi. Kenya defended well during the first half denying Gambia a chance to score, and sealed the game in the 52nd minute when Mwanalima Adam headed home for a 1-0 scoreline.

Starlets keeper Lilian Awuor was forced into a double, first diving the right way to punch out a superb effort from striker Fatoumata Kanteh, before she positioned herself quickly to make another good save from the rebound.

Gambia continued to threaten and in the 12th minute, Kanteh made another superb run from the left side before releasing the advancing Wuday Colley, but the latter’s final finish was not good enough to trouble Awuor.

Kenya started to grow in confidence and briefly took control of proceedings but Faith Odhiambo, who scored second goal in Nairobi, missed an open sitter in the 28th minute. A through ball from Shalyne Opisa found Odhiambo in a good position to score, but she fumbled with the ball.

At the start of the second period, Kenya scored what turned out to be the winner when Adam, who had put Gambia keeper Mary Gomez under pressure, sneaked a header which rolled into the back of the net.

Kenya last participated in WAFCON 2016, which was their first ever, in Cameroon, where they concluded group matches without a win. Starlets were pooled in Group B alongside Nigeria, who eventually won the title, Mali, and Ghana.

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