Kenya’s Rising Starlets will take on to the pitch in Dar es Salaam on Saturday to face the Tanzanite Queens in a high-stakes return leg of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers at the Azam Complex with kickoff slated for 4pm EAT.
The Starlets head into this decisive encounter with a narrow 1-0 advantage following a hard-fought victory in Nairobi last weekend, where Elizabeth Mideva’s 85th-minute strike separated the two sides.
This third-round clash serves as the penultimate hurdle before the ultimate qualifying stage for the 2026 World Cup in Poland.
Tanzania vs Kenya U20 preview
Coach Jackline Juma has announced that she has a near full squad with the Rising Starlets expected to miss Jenevive Mitchel who is still nursing an injury to the ankle.
Susan Akoth and Sunira Were could be part of the matchday squad having been on the sidelines in the first leg match while Emily Moranga who was a second half substitute could be in line for a start.
Prolific forward Winfrida Gerald is widely tipped to return to the starting lineup after her substitute appearance in the first leg failed to yield an equalizer.
Gerald surprisingly started off the bench in the first leg before her first half introduction.
Coach Jackline Juma has emphasized the importance of game management under the pressure of an away crowd.
“We are ready and the players know we have something to defend. We have analyzed the first leg and corrected our mistakes in finishing and defending long balls. We aren’t just going to sit back; if we get a chance, we will take it because away goals count for a lot at this stage.”
Coach Bakari Shime remains optimistic about overturning the deficit.
“A 1-0 difference is a very small margin in football. In Nairobi, the surface didn’t allow us to play our brand of football, but at Chamazi, you will see what we can truly offer. We are prepared both mentally and physically to ensure we get the result our fans expect and eliminate Kenya.”
A draw or a win of any kind will see Kenya make history by advancing to the final round, while Tanzania must win by two clear goals to secure their passage automatically.
If the match ends 1-0 in favor of Tanzania, the tie will be decided by a penalty shootout to determine who remains on the road to Poland facing Cameroon who eliminated Botswana 5-1 on aggregate despite losing the second leg 1-0 on Friday.