Kenya’s senior women’s national team Harambee Starlets thumped Portuguese league champions CF Benfica 3-0 in their opening group “A” match of the 2016 COTIF Women Football Tournament in Valencia, Spain on Sunday.
Mercurial Esse Akida was the toast of the night outmanoeuvring Benfica’s defense to drill home three with no reply.
The Spedag FC assassin, who is currently the leading top scorer in the Kenyan Women’s Premier League (KWPL) with 13 goals in just six games, proved a handful breaking the deadlock two minutes to the half hour mark for 1-0 half time slim lead.
Four minutes from the break, she doubled the lead to make it 2-0 before completing her hat-trick in the 70th minute.
The Kenyan queens held on to the comfortable 3-0 lead to the final whistle. They next take to the field on Tuesday 2 against Spanish Club Espanyol.
The Coach David Ouma’s side are using the six-team tournament as part of preparations for the Africa Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) finals set for Cameron starting 19 November to 3 August.
In another match, Venezuela national team defeated Spanish sides Betis 2-0 in the opening group “B” fixture played on Saturday 30.
Kenya XI
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