NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 25 – Cameroon is playing cautious and admitting they face a difficult task as they prepare to tackle Kenya’s Harambee Starlets in the return leg of their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) first round qualification match at the Nyayo National Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
The Indomitable Lionesses carry a 1-0 advantage from the first leg played in Douala last Friday and will need to avoid defeat in Nairobi to progress to the next round.
Defender Easther Mayi Kith understands that it will not business as usual for her side, and knows the Kenyan girls have the ability to step up at home and end their hopes of qualification.
“We know it will be a tough game because Kenya will be playing at home and will have that advantage. We need to come here and compete. We have worked to fix some things that we saw from the first leg and we are ready,” the Canadian born defender said.
She adds; “We are not worried. We always try to play the best football and we know that we are coming to play against a good team. They play the ball on the ground and we know we need to be strong especially in the middle to prevent them from advancing. We have to remain concentrated.”
Mayi believes that Cameroon is a team under transition, but they are still potent enough to battle for a place at the WAFCON and will do everything possible to make it into the second round of qualification.
“We are a new team with a new coach and we are still working to apply his tactics. Of course we are missing some things but we have fixed most of them and we will look to do well,” she said.
“We will take the game as a final. A 1-0 scoreline doesn’t mean anything because it can very easily change. We are not taking anything for granted and we will fully give our all in the match,” added the Rangers FC player.
The Indomitable Lionesses have never lost to Kenya, but with the score from the first leg, they know they are walking on thin ice and can dip anytime, if Kenya get their forward march on.