- Junior Starlets play in the second leg of the World Cup qualifiers against Uganda at Nyayo Stadium on Saturday.
- The two nations played to a 1-1 draw in Kampala in the first leg.
- The aggregate winner will face Tanzania or South Africa in the final round.
Kenya’s Junior Starlets will host neighbors Uganda in a FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifier at the Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday afternoon with kickoff slated for 3PM.
The stage is perfectly set for an intense East African derby for this crucial second-leg encounter. It is a battle for regional supremacy and a decisive step toward the 2026 World Cup in Morocco, with the aggregate winner advancing to the third and final qualification round to face either Tanzania or South Africa.
The two regional rivals head into Nairobi completely level on aggregate after battling to a 1-1 draw last Friday at the FUFA Stadium in Kampala.
Uganda struck first in the 13th minute when Shadia Nabirye reacted quickly to tap in a rebound, before Kenya’s head coach Mildred Cheche made crucial tactical tweaks after the break, allowing super-sub Emily Adhiambo to level the score in the 61st minute with a spectacular, first-time long-range rocket from well outside the 18-yard box.
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Team News
Coach Mildred Cheche named a final squad dominated by the core players who successfully navigated past Namibia in the previous round, maintaining deep trust in her cohesive unit.
Skipper Bevarline Awuor is the biggest name in the squad with the midfield engine expected to lead the side and dictate the tempo.
Daisy Adongo and Grace Wangari have earned their spots for the first time after impressing during the training camp and forcing their way into the tactical setup.
The team will however miss lethal midfielder Lindey Weey Atieno out with a knee injury.
The Teen Cranes will be banking on Shadia Nabirye to deliver away, with the prolific goalscorer in fine form for club and country heading into this fixture after executing the early blow in Kampala.
Their Goalkeeper Aida Maimuna Namuwaya will also be a threat with the custodian boasting of top flight experience, looking to redeem herself after her poor clearance led to Kenya’s equalizer.
What was said before the clash
Coach Mildred Cheche focused on the psychological aspect of the game, banking on massive home support at Nyayo National Stadium and acknowledging that playing in front of local fans offers a significant mental edge.
“All the players are mentally prepared, because playing at home for them is an advantage. Playing with their home fans and their support I think is so much better for them, unlike playing away, so most of them mentally they are prepared, and are charged to give a good performance”
On her part, head coach Sheryl Ulanda Botes understands that they need an important result away in the second leg but remains highly motivated by their tactical growth since their last qualification cycle meeting in 2025, where Kenya ruthlessly knocked the Teen Cranes out with a dominant 5–0 aggregate victory.
“The most important thing we have picked from the match is the fact that we are creating goal-scoring opportunities, and so it is possible to score away and beat Kenya.
We also learnt our weaknesses in the first leg match and have improved as we travelled here. We had only four days of training while our opponents have been training for more than two weeks, and so we are happy with the result we picked in the first leg.”
While Kenya holds a slight away-goal advantage from the 1-1 draw in Uganda, a clear win for the hosts would be a massive step ahead with one foot in the third and final stage, while Uganda will be hoping to settle their quest for revenge, upset the hosts at home, and potentially set up a final round tie against Tanzania or South Africa.