Jentrix Shikangwa marked her return to the Harambee Starlets with a hat-trick as Kenya beat Seychelles 11-0 at the Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi on Monday, 12 October, to advance in qualifying for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games on a 22-0 aggregate.

The second-leg result mirrored Kenya's 11-0 victory in the first leg on Thursday, 8 October, and sends the Starlets into the next round of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) women's Olympic qualifiers.

Wholesale changes, same outcome

Head coach Godfrey "Solo" Oduor, taking charge of only his second match, made sweeping changes to the side that started the first leg, Citizen Digital reported. Oduor had indicated before the match that he would rotate his squad heavily, but the reshuffle did little to slow Kenya's scoring.

Debutant Sylvia Makungu opened the scoring early, tapping in a rebound after Violet Nanjala's shot was parried, according to a match report by SportPesa News. Nanjala then got on the scoresheet herself minutes later, slipping the ball through the goalkeeper's legs and finishing with her left foot, before Shikangwa struck twice from close range to put the hosts firmly in control. Vivian Nasaka added a fifth on the stroke of half-time.

The goals continued after the break. Mwanalima Adam scored early in the second half and Shikangwa completed her hat-trick by finishing a cutback from Nasaka. Adam later added her second, Fasila Adhiambo scored with a deflected effort, and second-half substitute Marion Serenge converted a penalty, won after a foul by Seychelles' Pascallina Moustache, for the first goal of her international career. Serenge then completed the rout in stoppage time with a right-footed finish at the near post.

The scorers were:

  • Jentrix Shikangwa – three goals
  • Mwanalima Adam – two goals
  • Marion Serenge – two goals
  • Sylvia Makungu, Violet Nanjala, Vivian Nasaka and Fasila Adhiambo – one goal each

Reaction

Oduor kept his assessment brief after the final whistle.

"The game was good. We are thankful for the result," Oduor said, as quoted by Citizen Digital.

Seychelles coach Chris Yip-Au likened facing Kenya to confronting a mountain and said his side would continue building from its foundations. He singled out midfielder Viviane Corazone for praise.

The first leg, also played at Ulinzi Sports Complex according to Pulse Sports, produced an identical scoreline with a different set of scorers. Valary Nekesa, Elizabeth Muteshi, Airin Madalina, Mercy Airo, Martha Amunyolete and Elizabeth Mideva were among the players on target that day.

The results underline the depth available to Oduor as he settles into the role, with players from both starting line-ups making a case for selection ahead of the next round.

Next opponent

Kenya will face the winner of the tie between Zimbabwe and Malawi. Malawi won the first leg 2-0 at home, and the return match was scheduled for Tuesday, 13 October, in Harare.

Zimbabwe therefore needed to overturn a two-goal deficit on home soil to set up a meeting with Kenya. Whichever side progresses is likely to present a considerably tougher challenge than Seychelles, who conceded 22 goals across the two legs without scoring.

For Shikangwa, the hat-trick was a strong statement on her return to the national team, handing Oduor an experienced attacking option as the competition moves into its later rounds.

Photos: Flag of Kenya / Wikimedia Commons, public domain; Jentrix Shikangwa (pictured in 2022) by CeeGee / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0