Rising Starlets have tools to finish the job in Tanzania, says coach Juma
Rising Starlets players in a training session in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on February 12, 2026 ahead of their World Cup qualifier return match against the hosts. Photo courtesy of FKF Media.
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Head coach Jackline Juma is confident Rising Starlets have the tools to dim Tanzania’s hopes of overturning their first leg win of the 2027 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers when the two sides clash in a return leg in Dar es Salaam on Saturday.
Juma guided her side to a 1-0 victory over their neighbours last Saturday, thanks to Elizabeth Mideva’s 84th-minute strike at the Ulinzi Sports Complex.
The result gives Kenya an advantage heading to the mouthwatering second leg match at Azam Complex Stadium in Dar es Salaam, but Juma is at ease as Kenya seek to finish the job and qualify for the final round.
“We are very much ready to face Tanzania and the 1-0 win give us advantage ahead of the match. We have prepared well since we arrived in Tanzania and the morale is high in the camp. I just urge my players to remain focused and to give it out their all as we aim to qualify for the World Cup.”
Her opposite number Marco Kazobe has however warned playing at home will give them advantage to overturn the first leg loss.
“We are hoping for the best with my girls. We are playing at Azam Sports, a good stadium as opposed to Ulinzi Sports Complex which we played our leg match. Actually our loss in Nairobi was due to the bad state stadium but Azam is a good stadium and we hope our fans will cheer us to give the girls morale to overturn the scores.”
A win over Tanzania would set Kenya up for a tougher next assignment against either Botswana or continental heavyweights Cameroon, with the winners earning a ticket to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup finals in Poland from September 5–27, 2027.
As the Kenyan youngsters descend on Dar es Salaam, three players from the Rising Starlets squad have earned a first senior call up to the national senior women’s provisional team, Harambee Starlets, that will do duty at the upcoming Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
Diana Ochol, Vidah Okeyo and Lornah Faith were handed their debuts while Elizabeth Ochaka, Lorine Ilavonga, Fasila Adhiambo, Valerie Nekesa and Elizabeth Mideva retain their places as Harambee Starlets head coach Beldine Odemba unveiled a 34-player provisional squad on Thursday.
The selected players are expected to report to camp on Sunday marking the start of intensive build-up to the continental showpiece scheduled for March 17 to April 3.
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