Junior Starlets confident ahead of Cameroon showdown

Junior Starlets players defender Lorine Ilavonga, midfielder Mwanakombo Bakari, and goalkeeper Scovia Awuor have expressed confidence in the team's preparations for their upcoming 2025 FIFA U17 Women's World Cup final qualifying round clashes against Cameroon Women U17.

Junior Starlets are set to host the West Africans in Nairobi on Sunday, April 20, 2025, before travelling to Cameroon to play the second leg on Friday, April 25, 2025.

The winner of the two-legged tie will qualify for the 2025 FIFA U17 Women's World Cup, which will take place in Morocco from October 17 to November 8.

Having made their debut at the competition's 2024 edition, which was held in the Dominican Republic, the Junior Starlets are itching for a second bite of the cherry and are confident in their ability to make a return to the tournament, which has now expanded from 16 to 24 teams.

Speaking to FKF Media, defender Lorine Ilavonga stated that the experience of playing at the World Cup last year has continuously boosted the team's confidence.

"Playing at the World Cup has placed us on another level. We picked lessons from our matches against accomplished teams like England, and right now, we believe that we can overcome any opposition," Ilavonga said.

Echoing Ilavonga's remarks, midfielder Mwanakombo Bakari said that the team is determined to make the country proud again.

"We are aware that the spotlight is on us, and Kenyans want us to return to the World Cup. Our coaches want that too, and we are working hard to make sure that it happens," Bakari said.

Bakari also said that even though the team expects a tough match against Cameroon Women U17, their recent win and draw in the two friendly matches they played against Morocco Women U17 convinced the team that they have what it takes to overcome Cameroon.

"We won and drew against Morocco in our two friendly matches against them early this month. Before playing us, Morocco had played against Cameroon and won. Going by that, we are convinced we can also beat Cameroon," Bakari stated.

Commenting on the mood in the camp, goalkeeper Scovia Awuor also hailed the impact of the team's coach Mildred Cheche in preparing them psychologically for the match.

"The mood in camp is very amazing and jovial. I thank our coach for trusting us and for constantly motivating us. She tells us to believe in ourselves, and that affirms us and gives us confidence," Awuor said.

Awuor also urged fans to turn out in large numbers to support the team on Sunday.

"Fans give us fantastic support. It is an amazing feeling to play in front of fans because it raises our morale," Awuor said.

The match against Cameroon Women U17 will be the Junior Starlets' third of the qualifiers.

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• Junior Starlets
• FIFA U17 Women's World Cup
• AFCON U17
• 2025 FIFA Women’s U17 World Cup
• Junior Starlets confident ahead of Cameroon showdown
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The team, owing to their high ranking, were exempted from the first qualifying round.

In the second qualifying round, they stretched their unbeaten run in World Cup qualifying matches to six matches with a 5-0 aggregate win over Uganda Women U17. Remarkably, Junior Starlets have kept clean sheets in all the six matches in that invincible spell while registering five wins and a draw.

Notably, the matches against Cameroon Women U17 will see the Junior Starlets tasked with maintaining a fascinating legacy of East African women's youth football as Cameroon Women U17 have never overcome an East Africa team in a two-legged FIFA U17 Women's World Cup qualifying encounter.

Cameroon Women U17 have previously contested World Cup qualifier matches against Tanzania Women U17 and Uganda Women U17 without success.

On Sunday and on Friday next week, the Junior Starlets will be aiming to remind them of their fate against East African teams.