Chelsea striker on target as Australia outclass Harambee Starlets to clinch FIFA Series title
Kenya had booked their place in the final after seeing off India 2-0 in the semi final, while Australia ran riot against Malawi with a 5-0 victory to set up the decider
The CommBank Matildas of Australia have been crowned Women’s FIFA Series 2026 champions after beating Harambee Starlets 2-0 in a final staged at Nyayo Stadium on Wednesday, 15 April 15.
Sam Kerr and Clare Wheeler were on target for the world number 15 side, who showed their class in key moments to silence the home crowd and lift the inaugural four nation title.
Kenya had booked their place in the final after seeing off India 2-0 in the semi final, while Australia ran riot against Malawi with a 5-0 victory to set up the decider.
The tournament, hosted by Kenya, brought together Harambee Starlets, Australia, India and Malawi, and served as part of the Starlets’ preparations for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) set to be held in Morocco from 25 July.
India left it late to beat Malawi and claim bronze, while Kenya had to settle for silver in front of their home fans after a night in which they showed courage, flashes of quality and moments they will regret.
Odemba after the match said, “We are happy to FIFA for bringing this tournment to Kenya, we are happy to have had a feel of the top sides.”
The evening began on a high note, with a charged atmosphere around Nyayo Stadium as fans turned out in large numbers.
In the stands, some supporters dressed in national flag colours danced to isukuti rhythms as the intensity of the contest slowly built, but on the pitch, the opening exchanges belonged to Australia.
Starlets started the match looking nervy at the back and from the first minute were made to sweat while trying to keep Caitlin Foord at bay.
Goalkeeper Lilian Awuor nearly handed the visitors an early gift after a misplaced pass landed at the feet of the Arsenal star, but Foord failed to take control and Kenya survived the scare.
In the fifth minute, a Martha Amunyolete error again saw the CommBank Matildas knock at Kenya’s door, a sign that the visitors had come with purpose and sharpness.
Shalyne Opisa then produced an important last person tackle in the 10th minute to stop an incoming Sam Kerr from breaking through on goal, with the resulting free kick well dealt with by the Starlets defence.
As the early storm began to settle, Kenya slowly turned the tide.
Fasila Adhiambo became the first real attacking outlet for the hosts, breaking through on the left wing and using her pace to outstrip her markers, but her final delivery just failed to find a Kenyan foot inside the area.
Kenya came knocking again in the 18th minute when Opisa forced a save from Mackenzie Arnold after a neat move involving Mwanahalima Adam.
That chance seemed to inject life into Beldine Odemba’s charges, who from the 20th minute began to play with more belief and purpose, knocking with greater frequency on Joe Montemurro’s door.
But just when Kenya looked to be finding rhythm, a mix up in communication in the 22nd minute handed Australia a dangerous opening.
The sequence ended with Elizabeth Ochaka conceding a corner, and from the resulting delivery, the ball fell kindly to the unmarked Kerr, who struck with her right foot from the centre of the box and found the middle of the goal.
It was a painful moment for Awuor, whose attempted save turned disastrous as the ball slipped softly through her gloves and legs into the net.
The FC Farul Constanţa goalkeeper was left visibly frustrated, punching the ground in anger after gifting the Matildas the lead.
Australia sensed blood and nearly added another before the cooling break.
In the 29th minute, Kerr rose to meet a Jamilla Rankin cross following a corner, but her header flew high and wide to the right.
After the break in play, the Matildas continued their search for another goal, with Hayley Raso at the heart of their attacking thrust.
Her left footed effort from the right side of the box went high and wide, after being set up by Kerr, but Australia were now moving with menace.
Montemurro’s side controlled possession with ease, their passes cutting through the pitch like a knife through cloth, kissing the grass as they pulled Kenya from side to side.
One such move nearly ended in the net, but Ochaka was alert enough to turn Foord’s dangerous shot behind for a corner after the forward had danced past her markers and into the penalty area.
From another set piece, Charlie Rule rose in the centre of the box but guided her header just over, again from a Rankin delivery following a corner.
Kenya, however, were not merely watching the game slip away.
In the 40th minute, Airin Madalina won a free kick on the right wing after beating Winonah Heatley, who had to resort to a tactical foul.
Three minutes later, Opisa, who had been one of Kenya’s brighter sparks down the flank all evening, forced her way into the Matildas box before seeing her left footed effort pushed away for a corner.
The Starlets made more from the resulting pressure.
A short corner routine ended with Opisa again testing Arnold from the right side of the box, after a headed pass from Ochaka, but the Australian goalkeeper stood firm and made the save in the centre of the goal.
Then came Kenya’s clearest chance of the half, and perhaps the moment that could have changed the mood of the contest entirely.
Just before the break, Fasila found herself through on goal after a fine pass from Tereza Engesha.
She had out-paced all the Matildas defenders and only needed one calm decision to send Nyayo into celebration, but her right footed shot crashed off the right post and Australia escaped.
Second Half
Australia began the second half with a change, introducing Emily van Egmond for Hayley Raso, and within moments Kenya were again under pressure.
The second stanza opened with real heat from the visitors, and inside a minute Starlets had twice escaped going further behind.
Ochaka came to the rescue on the first occasion, before Foord, from a Kerr delivery, sent her effort over the bar.
In the 52nd minute, Amy Sayer tried her luck from outside the box and narrowly missed the target, but the warning signs were now impossible to ignore.
Kenya’s struggles in the second half were fully exposed in the 54th minute after Mwanahalima lost the ball in midfield.
The loose possession was quickly picked up by Foord, who drove forward with purpose, cut inside her markers and surged into the box before laying a pass into the path of Clare Wheeler.
The Everton star controlled the ball with composure, glided past three defenders and then unleashed a right footed shot from the centre of the box into the bottom right corner to make it 2-0.
The goal prompted Odemba into a response, with Elizabeth Mideva coming on for Madalina as Kenya searched for a way back into the match.
Australia thought they had a third in the 61st minute when Sayer found the net, but Kerr was ruled offside in the build up.
Despite protests, Ethiopian centre referee Mulugeta Yordanos was unmoved and the goal did not stand.
Kenya continued to show fight.
Adhiambo had a right footed shot from the centre of the box blocked after being set up by Engesha, forcing Winonah Heatley to concede a corner.
Shortly after, Caitlin Foord became the first player to go into the referee’s book when she was shown a yellow card in the 63rd minute.
The Starlets were then forced into another change, with Enez Mango replacing Leah Andiema because of injury, while Australia continued to dictate the tempo and looked poised to strike again with around 20 minutes left.
Kerr was once more caught offside as the Matildas kept probing for a third.
Kenya almost responded after that phase, but Noah Ann was flagged offside, and at the same time Odemba made another switch, introducing Mercy Airo for Engesha.
In the 75th minute, Opisa again came close, this time with a header from the centre of the box that drifted narrowly wide to the left after a cross from Vivian Makokha.
Australia then freshened up their side, bringing on Holly McNamara for Caitlin Foord and Courtney Nevin for Jamilla Rankin.
With four minutes left, the visitors made further changes, with Remy Siemsen replacing Kerr, Alex Chidiac coming on for Clare Wheeler and Isabel Gomez replacing Kaitlyn Torpey.
From there, the Matildas did what good teams do when the job is nearly done, they took the sting out of the game, moved the ball around with calm authority and allowed the clock to carry them over the line.
In the end, Australia’s quality proved decisive, while Kenya were left to reflect on a match in which they had moments, names that stood tall, and chances that slipped through their fingers like grains of sand.
For the Starlets, it was a painful but valuable lesson, for the Matildas, it was a night of golden smiles and silverware under the Nairobi lights.
