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WAFCON: Algeria coach explains challenges of preparing for Harambee Starlets clash
03rd August, 2026 10:17 AM
Algeria head coach Farid Benstiti admitted that they are facing a hurdle in their preparation against the Harambee Starlets compared to the other Group A members of Morocco and Senegal.
Kenya and Algeria will clash in the final Group A match at 11:00 pm, a clash that will run concurrently with the Atlas Lionesses’ battle against Senegal at the El Hassan Abdallah Stadium in Rabat.
The two teams have met four times before their encounter this Monday, August 3, 2026, and the coach said he can only keep guessing what his charges will be up against the talented East Africans.
Talented team
“Since the draw for this tournament was done, I was very much more worried about meeting Kenya than Senegal and Morocco. We have met before, and it is a very great team with talented players. We have tried to analyse Kenya’s data in vain because we couldn’t get it, but we are prepared enough for tomorrow’s task,” he said.
The Desert Queens‘ blemish so far is the 1-0 loss to Morocco in the second group tie. The North African will, however, secure passage to the knockout stages with a win against the Starlets.
Morocco leads Group A with six points ahead of Algeria and Senegal, who occupy second and third place, as Kenya is at the bottom without a point.
His remarks come as Kenya vowed to make a strong finish to the continental games after a dismal start.
Starlets lost 4-0 against Morocco in their opening match on Sunday, July 26, before succumbing to a 1-0 loss at the hands of Senegal four days later.
Benstiti’s nemesis, Beldine Odemba, has remained hopeful, expressing confidence that the best of her team will be up to show in the final group tie.
Speaking on Sunday, August 2, 2026, in Rabat, Odemba noted the little progress in the team’s opening defeats while acknowledging that they remain keen to make the small gains count in the final group game.
Improvements
“We have been playing much better than in the previous match. We keep on improving in our matches, and it is our target to improve in all the departments; it could be slow progress, but we are determined, and I am hopeful we will play better than in the previous matches,” she stated.
