Harambee Starlets Smash Seychelles 11-0 in Olympic Qualifier

Nairobi, Kenya | October 8, 2026

Harambee Starlets launched their 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games qualification campaign in emphatic fashion after thrashing Seychelles 11-0 in the first leg of their second-round CAF Women’s Olympic qualifier at Ulinzi Sports Complex on Thursday.

The emphatic victory gives Kenya a huge advantage ahead of the return leg on Monday, October 12, with the Starlets needing to avoid a heavy defeat to secure progression to the next stage of the continental qualifying campaign.

Kenya dominated the encounter from the opening whistle, with the Starlets taking control early and repeatedly exposing gaps in the Seychelles defence. The hosts' attacking pressure produced a series of goals as Kenya established a commanding lead before continuing the onslaught after the break.

The Starlets maintained their intensity throughout the second half, adding more goals as Seychelles struggled to cope with Kenya’s movement and attacking combinations. The final scoreline gave Kenya one of their biggest victories in recent years and left the visitors facing a daunting task in the return fixture.

The result also marked an impressive start to the tenure of interim head coach Geoffrey “Solo” Oduor, who took charge of the national women’s team following the departure of Beldine Odemba.

Oduor had called for patience, competition for places and a more disciplined approach ahead of the qualifiers, and his side responded with a dominant attacking display in his first competitive match in charge.

The victory provides a significant boost for the Starlets after their disappointing 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Morocco, where Kenya exited the group stage without a win or a goal.

Both legs of the Seychelles tie are being played in Kenya because Seychelles does not have a CAF-approved stadium. The return match will again be staged at Ulinzi Sports Complex on Monday afternoon.

With an 11-goal advantage from the first leg, Kenya are firmly in control of the tie and are within reach of the next round. Should the Starlets complete the job, they will face the winner of the Malawi-Zimbabwe tie in the subsequent stage.

The African qualification campaign will determine the continent’s representatives at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, with two African teams set to secure places in the women’s football tournament.

For Oduor and his players, attention now turns to Monday’s return leg, where Kenya will look to complete the tie and secure progression to the next stage of the Olympic qualifying campaign.