Football Kenya Federation (FKF) boss Hussein Mohammed remains positive despite Harambee Starlets’ 5-1 defeat to hosts Morocco in an international friendly played on Wednesday.

Beldine Odemba’s side fell behind after only two minutes before Fasila Adhiambo restored parity for the vsitors in the 20th minute.

Starlets could not cope with the intensity of the match in the second half where they conceded four goals to the hosts.

In a statement shared on his official Facebook page following the match, Hussein struck a tone of encouragement rather than criticism.

"That was a solid test match against one of the best teams globally; you faced a formidable team, which is a great learning curve," Hussein observed.

While acknowledging the defeat, the federation boss emphasised the importance of exposure to elite opposition as part of the Starlets’ development journey.

"Keep your spirits high, take the lessons, and with more such friendlies coming up, our game will steadily improve until we are able to compete with the world's best."

The Atlas Lionesses are ranked 60th globally and third in the continent whereas Starlets are ranked 142nd globally and 24th in the continent

Starlets are preparing for CECAFA Championships set for the June 12 to 22 in Dar-es- Salaam, Tanzania.

Kenya will face hosts Tanzania, South Sudan, Burundi, and Uganda in the five-team tournament.