Junior Starlets two games away from U17 World Cup

Kenya women's Under-17 national football team coach Mildred Cheche is confident of guiding her charges in qualifying for the 2024 FIFA U17 World Cup to be held in the Dominican Republic in October this year.

Junior Starlets stormed to the fourth and final round of the qualifiers, after thrashing Ethiopia 3-0 on aggregate at the Ulinzi Sports Complex, Nairobi on Sunday.

The teams played to a barren draw in the first leg a week ago at the Abebe Bikila Stadium in Addis Ababa.

Captain Elizabeth Ochako, Nyakach Girls forward Velma Awuor and substitute Lorna Faith were on target in the 44th, 56th and 74th minutes respectively, to ensure Starlets move closer to their maiden World Cup appearance

Starlets will now face Burundi in the final round of the qualifiers for a chance to represent the Cecafa region at the 2024 Under-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic.

Burundi overcame Djibouti 25-0 in aggregate to book a date with Kenya.

“I first want to congratulate my girls for a good fight and ensure that they won against Ethiopia. The opponents thought that they we will play a defensive game as we did away, but we changed the tactics and played an offensive match which really worked on our side. In our next match against Burundi in early June, I’m sure we will do better, being that we have played against them before and they defeated us, but this time round we shall apply the similar tactics we have done today and defeat them, the morale is so high,” said Cheche.

Cheche, who was appointed by the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) to head the U17 side alongside Ann Aluoch on January 22, 2024, however said the Talanta Hela Tournament, Safaricom Chapa Dimba and the Kenya Secondary Schools Association games (KSSSA) played a big role in providing talent to make the solid national team.

“All the junior tournaments from Chapa Dimba, Talanta Hela, and schools games have assisted me a lot as a coach in coming with strong team. The girls have at least jelled well and I’m sure they will do wonders in the next round of the qualifiers,” noted Cheche.

She added, “I also feel that the fans also played a major role especially to boost the morale for the girls, and they have really given us the supported we needed and we did not disappoint them.”