- Junior Starlets will be aiming to qualify for the FIFA U-17 girls World Cup for a second time in a row.
- Cheche has revealed that the team is set to report to camp later this month.
- Kenya will play Uganda in the second round of the qualifiers.
Junior Starlets head coach Mildred Cheche has expressed confidence on the team qualifying for the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
The Kenya U-17 girls’ national team will be looking to book a ticket to the global showpiece for the second consecutive time.
Junior Starlets made history in 2024 when they overcame Burundi in the final round of the qualifying tournament and in the process became the first ever Kenyan team to make it to a FIFA World Cup event.
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The team, which had talented players like Marion Serenge, Velma Awuor, Lorna Faith and Valerie Nekesa, hammered their East African counterparts 5-0 on aggregate.
Nekesa and Serenge scored two goals in the second-leg tie that was staged at the Ulinzi Sports Complex to secure Junior Starlets a slot in the high-profile tournament that was held in the Dominican Republic between October 16 and November 3.
However, although the youngsters only managed to win a single match at the FIFA World Cup, they benefited from the experience that will help them in the rest of their careers.
Junior Starlets will once again be gunning to qualify for this years’ edition that is scheduled to be hosted by Morocco from October 17 to November 8.
However, for them to stand a chance of doing so, they must beat neighbors Uganda in the second round of the qualifiers that is planned to be played between March 7 and March 16, 2025.
Uganda thrashed Namibia 18-0 on aggregate in the first round while Kenya was given a bye by the organizers since they were one of Africa’s representatives in the 2024 FIFA World Cup. Nigeria and Zambia did not also play the first leg of the qualifiers.
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Speaking ahead of the upcoming game, Cheche has expressed buoyancy of her charges making the country proud.
“We expect the Junior Starlets to qualify again for the World Cup. We are starting preparations this week. So, hopefully by 25th, we should be in camp,” stated Cheche.
She also requested Kenyans to show up in large numbers during the home tie and give Junior Starlets a push.
“For the fans, please come out in masses, come support us. For the home matches we expect to see you. Come support our girls,” ended Cheche.
Should Junior Starlets overcome Uganda in the two-legged fixture, they will meet either the winner between Cameroon and Egypt in the third round.
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