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Heartbreak as Harambee Starlets lose Cecafa final to Tanzania

Kenya vs Tanzania

Opa Clement of Tanzania plays under pressure from Kenya’s Martha Amunyolet in the final match of the 2025 Cecafa Senior Women's Championship in Dar es Salaam on June 21, 2025.

Photo credit: Maureen Muriithi | Nation Media Group
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By  Toto Arege

Correspondent

NMG Sport

What you need to know:

  • Kenya, who won the tournament in 2019, finished second with nine points, while 2022 champions Uganda finished third.
  • Stars used the tournament to prepare for the Women's Africa Cup of Nations that will be held in Morocco next month.

Kenya's Harambee Starlets lost 1-0 to Tanzania's Twiga Stars in the final match of the 2025 Cecafa Senior Women's Championship on Saturday at Azam Sports Complex in Dar es Salaam.

Miscommunication between Starlets defender, Enez Mango, and goalkeeper Lilian Awuor led to an own goal in the 49th minute off Tanzanian striker Clara Luvanga's cross.

It proved to be costly mistake as Tanzania held on to the lone goal to be crowned the new regional champions.

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Round-robin format

The tournament, played in a round-robin format involving five nations, saw the 2016 and 2018 champions of Tanzania finish top of the table with 12 points and without conceding a goal.

Kenya, who won the tournament in 2019, finished second with nine points, while 2022 champions Uganda finished third with three points, same as Burundi and South Sudan, who finished fourth and fifth, respectively on inferior goal aggregate.

Coached by Beldine Odemba, Romanian-based Lilian Awuor started in goal for Starlets, with Ruth Ingosi as captain, leading a defense comprised of Enez Mango, Lavender Akinyi, and Vivian Nasaka. 

The midfield featured Diana Wacera, Fasilah Adhiambo, and Martha Amunyolet, while Violet Nanjala and Tumaini Waliaula led the attack.

Missed chances

Tanzania, the 2016 and 2018 champions, created chances on the flanks through Diana Lucas and Luvanga but struggled to break down the Kenyan defense the entire first half, with Awuor proving crucial in goal.

At halftime, Tanzania dominated possession with 57 per cent against Kenya's 43 per cent. Both teams registered one shot on target, but Tanzania had five shots off target and six corners to Kenya's none. 

In the 55th minute, Odemba made the first substitution, replacing Nanjala, who had missed chances earlier, with striker Faith Mboya. In the 75th minute, Waliaula came off for Emily Morang'a in the attack, but the changes did not bear any fruit.

Starlets used the tournament to prepare for the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) that will be held in Morocco from the 5th to the 26th of next month.