WAFCON 2026: What Harambee Starlets have got wrong - and what must change against Algeria

It would be easy to look at Kenya's first two matches in Morocco and conclude that nothing has changed.

After all, the numbers tell a blunt story: two games, two defeats and no points on the board.

Football, however, has never been that simple.

Beneath those results lies a team that responded to its opening setback with greater discipline, better defensive organisation and a clearer understanding of what WAFCON football demands.

Harambee Starlets may still be searching for their first result, but they are no longer playing the same football they did on opening night.

The Starlets stayed in the contest for long periods and lost by the narrowest of margins, suggesting the gap between Kenya and Africa's established sides is no longer simply about talent - it is increasingly about execution.

Defensive discipline

Against Morocco, Kenya struggled to cope with sustained pressure.

The defensive line was repeatedly stretched, midfield runners were left unchecked and transitions exposed too much space behind the back four.

The response against Senegal was encouraging.

Coach Beldine Odemba asked her team to defend with greater compactness, reducing the spaces between midfield and defence.

Senegal enjoyed possession but found fewer clear openings than Morocco had managed in the opening fixture. Kenya looked more organised without the ball and remained competitive for much longer.

That tactical adjustment worked. The problem was what happened after Kenya recovered possession.

Attacks breaking down

The Starlets have defended better than they have attacked.

Too often, winning the ball has been followed by hurried long passes that isolate captain Mwanahalima "Jereko" Adam.

Instead of building through midfield, Kenya have frequently bypassed it altogether, leaving their forwards chasing hopeful balls against physically stronger defenders.

When Kenya have managed to string together short passing sequences, they have looked far more comfortable.

The challenge is sustaining those moments.

Against teams such as Morocco and Senegal, every turnover is punished. Possession is not just about controlling the game; it is also about giving the defence time to recover its shape.

Can midfield offer more?

One area Kenya may need to rethink against Algeria is the balance of midfield.

The double defensive shield has protected the back line, but it has also left too much creative responsibility on the front players.

A midfielder willing to receive the ball under pressure and carry it into attacking areas could reduce the reliance on direct football and help Kenya retain possession higher up the pitch.

The Starlets have shown flashes of quality in transition.

They now need longer spells with the ball.

Selection or mentality?

This tournament has not exposed a lack of commitment. If anything, Kenya's work rate has been one of its strengths.

What has been exposed is tournament experience.

This is only Kenya's second appearance at WAFCON after a decade away, while Morocco and Senegal have become regular participants against the continent's strongest opposition.

Decision-making under pressure, game management and composure in key moments often come only through repeated exposure at this level.

That is where Odemba's biggest challenge lies - not motivating her players, but helping them make better decisions when matches become chaotic.

Final chance

Kenya's hopes of reaching the knockout stage are now hanging by a thread, but the final Group A match against Algeria still carries real value.

It offers the Starlets an opportunity to show whether the lessons from Morocco and Senegal have been absorbed.

If Kenya can combine the defensive discipline shown against Senegal with more patience in possession and greater support for their attacking players, they have every chance of producing their most complete performance of the tournament.

Results matter, but so does the direction a team is moving.

Against Algeria, Harambee Starlets have one last opportunity to prove those two paths can finally meet.