RABAT, MOROCCO — Kenya’s Harambee Starlets have officially exited the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) at the group stage following a 2–0 defeat to Algeria 🇩🇿 on Monday night at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat.
Entering their final Group A fixture needing a win to retain any slim mathematical chance of advancing as one of the best third-placed teams, Beldine Odemba’s side suffered early defensive setbacks and were unable to mount a comeback.
Algeria struck twice in the opening opening half-hour to seize full control of the match. Midfielder Marine Dafeur opened the scoring in the 13th minute with a curling free-kick, before Lynda Bendris doubled the North Africans’ lead in the 23rd minute.
Kenya created scoring chances, most notably in the 27th minute when Martha Amunyolete went one-on-one with Algerian goalkeeper Chloé Yamina N’Gazi, but dragged her shot wide. In the second half, Valerie Nekesa saw her close-range effort saved in the 62nd minute.
Starting goalkeeper Lilian Awuor sustained an injury in the first half and was replaced by Annette Kundu after 34 minutes.
The defeat concluded a tough tournament return for the Starlets—their first appearance at the continental finals since 2016. Kenya finished bottom of Group A with 0 points, 0 goals scored, and 7 goals conceded across three matches.
Despite the early exit, the tournament provided crucial international tournament exposure for a revamped Kenyan squad featuring young talents like Valerie Nekesa and Fasila Adhiambo. The focus for Football Kenya Federation (FKF) now turns to building momentum toward qualifying for the 2028 edition and the upcoming regional CECAFA tournaments.
