RABAT — Kenya’s Harambee Starlets have been eliminated from the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after finishing their Group A campaign with back-to-back defeats, closing out a difficult tournament on the continental stage.
Kenya lost 1-0 to Senegal on July 30, with Seynabou Mbengue’s 35th-minute strike proving decisive at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat despite sustained second-half pressure from the Starlets, according to Pulse Sports Kenya and The Eastleigh Voice.
The defeat left Kenya needing a big win against Algeria to stay alive, but the Starlets instead fell 2-0 to Algeria on August 3, confirming their exit from the group stage, according to K24 Digital and Citizen Digital.
Head coach Odemba offered what K24 Digital described as an honest assessment of the campaign, acknowledging the team’s struggles in front of goal throughout the tournament.
The early exit caps a tournament in which the Starlets had earlier secured qualification for the finals, but were unable to translate that into group-stage results against stronger opposition. Kenya’s next major assignment on the women’s football calendar has not yet been announced.
