It was always going to be a tough mountain to climb, but nobody expected the fall to feel quite this heavy. Kenya’s Harambee Starlets kicked off their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign on Sunday night with a painful 4-0 defeat at the hands of host nation Morocco at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat.
For a team returning to the continental stage for the first time since 2016, the energy and optimism were sky-high before kickoff. In fact, Beldine Odemba’s side almost blew the roof off the stadium just five minutes in when striker Tereza “Terry” Engesha unleashed a rocket that rattled the crossbar. For a brief moment, Kenyan fans around the world dared to dream.
Unfortunately, that spark was quickly snuffed out by a ruthless Moroccan side that showed exactly why they are one of Africa’s premier powerhouses.
Once the host nation found their rhythm, the floodgates opened. Maryame Atiq broke the deadlock in the 19th minute, finding the back of the net after a spell of intense pressure. Before Kenya could even catch their breath, Sakina Ouzraoui doubled Morocco’s lead in the 28th minute with a neat finish.
Starlets tried to push forward to find a way back into the game, but Morocco’s star forward Ibtissam Jraidi took complete control. Jraidi put the game out of reach with a quick goal in the 31st minute to make it 3-0 before halftime, then returned right after the restart to grab her second in the 47th minute.
Coach Odemba threw on fresh legs in the second half—bringing in Mercy Airo, Shirlene Opisa, Euphrasier Shilwatso, and Airin Madalina—to try and stem the tide and pull a goal back. While the team stabilized somewhat and kept Morocco at bay for the rest of the half, the damage was already done.
It is a bitter pill to swallow, but all hope is not lost in Group A. The Starlets will need to wipe their tears, fix their defensive lapses, and reset quickly before their upcoming group matches against Senegal and Algeria. A spot in the knockout stages is still mathematically achievable, but there is zero room left for error.
