News Focus
- Mwanalima Adam secures the Player of the Tournament accolade at the Four Nations competition held in Lusaka, Zambia
- Harambee Starlets demolish Lesotho with a 6-0 scoreline to clinch the bronze medal
- The Kenya captain discloses that the team set a private target to win by a margin exceeding three goals
- The tournament forms a crucial part of preparations for the upcoming 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco
Harambee Starlets captain Mwanalima Adam has credited her team’s refusal to underrate Lesotho as the key factor behind their commanding 6-0 victory and her own Player of the Tournament award at the Four Nations competition in Zambia.
The Kenyan skipper collected the prestigious MVP trophy following a week of impressive leadership and attacking displays that guided the national side to a bronze medal finish in Lusaka. Adam explained that external pressure and public opinion before the third-place match actually motivated the squad to establish their own strict performance standards.
“We heard many opinions from outside, but we held our own meeting,” Adam stated. “We promised ourselves we would beat Lesotho by more than three goals. That commitment drove our energy levels. We had already worked on these exact situations during our training sessions.”
Despite the lopsided result, the forward remained focused on areas needing improvement. She noted that while the technical bench must address certain errors ahead of future fixtures, the primary objective of securing a convincing win was achieved.
“There were some errors we must fix, and the coaches will handle that preparation,” she remarked. “What matters most is that we secured the result we wanted. The goals came and the collective performance was strong.”
Adam emphasised that the entire competition served as an essential testing ground for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. She views the tactical battles against strong regional opponents as vital experience for the continental stage.
“This tournament taught us many lessons,” Adam added. “It forms a crucial part of our build-up to WAFCON. We respected Lesotho because they are a strong nation. However, even after this success, we must keep pushing. The job is not finished yet.”
With her individual honour secured and the dressing room displaying strong unity, Adam’s leadership appears central to Kenya’s ambitions as the final phase of WAFCON preparations begins.