Harambee Starlets under coach Beldine Odemba needed a goal in either half to win the second fixture of the day under the sunny city of Nairobi.
Martha Amunyolet, and Terry Engesha scored for the Starlets in the entertaining contest. The tournament is serving as part of Harambee Starlets’ preparations for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), set for Morocco from July 25 to August 16.
Meanwhile, Malawi’s Scorchers endured a difficult start to their campaign after falling 5-0 to Australia, who took an early lead in the sixth minute, capitalising on a quick attacking move that caught Malawi’s defence off guard.
Malawi went down against Australia
The Scorchers gradually settled into the match, showing signs of improvement and pushing forward in search of an equaliser.
Just before halftime, Malawi came close through a Rose Kadzere free-kick, which was saved, before Vanessa Chikupila’s rebound was blocked. However, Australia doubled their lead in the 41st minute to go into the break 2-0 up.
Malawi continued to fight in the second half, with Chikupila testing the goalkeeper from distance in the 53rd minute, but her effort was comfortably handled.
Australia extended their lead with further goals in the 60th, 86th and 90+2 minutes, punishing defensive lapses to seal a commanding victory. Following the result, the Scorchers will face India in the third-place playoff on Wednesday.
Malawi coach Lovemore Fazili said after the game: “Lessons learnt, of course it was a tough game playing against an experienced side. They always capitalise on mistakes.
“The goalkeeper wasn’t bad, but in some situations, she could have done better to avoid the goals. There is a very big gap between the teams we face in the COSAFA region and Australia.
“They are experienced players competing at a high level in Europe, but we have learnt a lot.”
Ahead of the tournament kick-off, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Hussein Mohammed welcomed the development of hosting the Series, noting its significance for the growth of the game in the country.
“Hosting this tournament is a big step for Kenya’s football. It not only gives our national team valuable international exposure but also strengthens our capacity to organise and deliver competitions at the highest level,” said Hussein.
“We thank the Government for their support and collaboration in making this possible.”
The Cabinet Secretary for Sports Salim Mvurya highlighted the importance of such opportunities in positioning Kenya on the global stage.
“Being able to host a tournament of this nature reflects the progress Kenya is making in sports development,” said Mvurya.
“It shows we are moving in the right direction and strengthening our place on the global map. We appreciate the Federation’s alignment with the broader vision of growing sports in the country.”
Australia are the highest-ranked
The tournament will conclude on Wednesday, April 15, with the third-place playoff set to be played at 2.00 pm, followed by the final at 6.00 pm to determine the inaugural FIFA Women’s Series champion.
Hosting the FIFA Women’s Series provides Kenya with an opportunity to strengthen key areas of football development beyond match play.
The tournament will support growth in event organisation, operational planning, and match officiating, while also offering valuable experience in managing international competitions.
Among the four teams taking part in the tournament, Australia are the highest-ranked side at 15th in the world. India are ranked 67th, Kenya 134th and Malawi 153rd.
