Harambee Starlets suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat to hosts Morocco on their return to the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after a decade, in a match played on Sunday, 26 July, in Rabat, Morocco, which left us with plenty of lessons to learn.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsKenya, who were making their first appearance on the continental stage in a decade, were second best in almost all facets of the game against a dominant Morocco.With many pundits and stakeholders harbouring contrasting views and issuing mixed reactions after the match, Mozzart Sport takes a look at some of the six takeaways from the defeat in Rabat.CONFIRMED: AFC Leopards resign midfielder seven years after departureExperience on the big stage is pricelessWhile Harambee Starlets possessed a fairly decent team by Kenyan standards, they were let down by inexperience not only of individual players but also in competing at this stage.At the individual level, Morocco's team boasted top players including Valencia midfielder Yasmin Katie, Ibtissam Jradi who scored a brace as well as captain Ait el Haj, all of whom dictated play in favour of their side.Kenya, on the other hand, lacked the personnel to handle pressure, especially in the opening half and were second best in key moments of the game.##NAJAVA_MECA_9868161##The inexperience has once again ignited debate and frustrations by fans over the omission of Simba Queens midfielder Corazone Aquino and striker Jentrix Shikangwa.Kenya's midfield needs steelOne factor was clearly visible throughout the match: Kenya's midfield lacked the stamina and quality to compete at the top level.The midfield trio of Mwanalima Adam, Martha Amunyolette and Tereza Engesha were a mismatch against their Moroccan counterparts.Can Kakamega Homeboyz' great gamble on veterans land maiden league title?While Mwanalima displayed her quality, the inadequacies of her newfound defensive midfield role were visible, especially coming up against the quality of Barcelona's Azraf Kautar.The team clearly missed the services of Lavender Akinyi, who is undertaking military training at the Recruits Training School (RTS), as well as Aquino, who was overlooked by the technical bench.Slow start proves costlyHarambee Starlets were made to pay for their slow start to the game, with Morocco exerting damage in the opening half to grab a comfortable victory.##NAJAVA_MECA_9868157##At WAFCON level, focus throughout the match is key, with lapses of concentration punished almost immediately.Starlets began with misplaced passes, a lack of compactness in defense as well as limited anticipation of situations and paid for it dearly.It was from a ceded possession by Mwanalima that Morocco launched a transition attack to score the opener, while the second goal was a simple header from a corner.Kenyan forward bags brace to revive Tanzanian club's hopes of retaining CECAFA Kagame CupAn offside trap that was breached allowed Morocco to score the third, which virtually sealed the three points in the opening half.Better organisation in transition neededOne of the trends in the modern game is transition attack, where many teams are practising quick transitions to catch their opponents out of shape.Kenya conceded more than five chances before soaking in the opening goal, most of which came from transitions after the Beldine Odemba-coached side lost possession in attack.Throughout, the team looked vulnerable on transitions, and were also found flat-footed for the opening goal.On the other end of the pitch, Kenya looked disorganised in attack, with Fasila Adhiambo left to dribble on her own with her teammates not offering support or failing to make runs.Physical fitness is non-negotiable WAFCON is a tournament that demands robust physicality, and teams must be physical if they are to post commendable performances.##NAJAVA_MECA_9868174##Morocco were a true testament to the physical demands of the tournament. The Atlas Lionesses showed great tempo and high intensity throughout the match, something that troubled Kenya.When they suffered from tired legs, they were replaced by fresh options who blended well to ensure the team maintained the same performance.This equally demands a good, quality squad depth that would then make it easy for the coach to make substitutions where necessary.Gor Mahia coach defends decision to rotate squad against Ugandan championsOne loss should not define the entire campaign Despite suffering a heavy loss in their opening match, Harambee Starlets must not allow the deflating result to define their whole WAFCON campaign.While the result was demoralising, the team can bounce back from it by analysing the problems and finding solutions.In any case, tournaments are littered with history of teams recovering from losses in the opening matches to lift the trophy.
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