Junior Starlets upbeat ahead of 2025 FIFA Women’s U17 World Cup qualifier match against Uganda
The Mildred Cheche-coached side arrived in Kampala on Thursday morning and are optimistic of getting a positive result in Uganda as they aim for back-to-back FIFA Women’s U17 World Cup qualification.
The Junior Starlets will start their 2025 FIFA Women’s U17 World Cup qualifying campaign on Saturday as they face Uganda Women U17 in the first leg of their Second Qualifying Round encounter. The match will kick off at 4 pm and will be played at Kampala’s Nakivubo Stadium.
The Mildred Cheche-coached side arrived in Kampala on Thursday morning and are optimistic of getting a positive result in Uganda as they aim for back-to-back FIFA Women’s U17 World Cup qualification.
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In 2024, the Junior Starlets became the first Kenyan national football team of any age category or gender to qualify for a FIFA World Cup. The Junior Starlets defeated Burundi Women’s U17 to qualify for the 2024 FIFA Women’s U17 World Cup which was held in the Dominican Republic.
“Playing away is tough but we are ready. We are expecting a positive result of either a win or a draw. This team is motivated and in high spirits. We are ready,” Mildred Cheche said.
Cheche travelled to Uganda with a squad of 23 players, among them eight members of the history-making 2024 FIFA Women’s U17 World Cup squad.
Team captain Halima Imbachi is among those eight and while saying that they are motivated to go for victory on Saturday, they will not be underrating their opponents.
“We are aware of the challenge that is ahead of us and we know that we have to work harder than we did last year. Uganda also has a good team and so, it will not be an easy game,” Imbachi said before adding that Kenya qualified for the 2025 FIFA Women’s U17 World Cup, they will be aiming to go beyond the group stages, hence improving on their performance from last year.
“Last year we were eliminated at the group stages and since we are always working hard to improve ourselves, at this year’s World Cup we will be aiming to go beyond the group stages if we qualify for the tournament,” Imbachi said.
The 2025 FIFA Women’s U17 World Cup will be held in Morocco from 17 October to 8 November. Unlike last year’s tournament, this year’s tournament has expanded to 24 teams, with African getting five slots, including the one for hosts Morocco.
Should the Junior Starlets defeat Uganda Women U17, they will play against either Cameroon Women U17 or Ethiopia Women U17 for a chance to clinch one of the four qualifying slots for African teams.
The Junior Starlets qualified for the 2024 FIFA Women’s U17 World Cup without conceding a goal after powering through DR Congo (walkover win), Ethiopia (3-0 aggregate win), and Burundi (5-0 aggregate win).
Uganda, who have never qualified for the tournament, were eliminated in the penultimate qualifying round last year after losing 2-1 to Zambia on aggregate. This year, they have started their qualifying campaign with an 18-1 aggregate victory against Namibia in the First Qualifying Round. Having qualified for last year's World Cup, Kenya was one of the four teams exempted from the First Round along with Nigeria, Zambia, and Burundi.
The return leg for this tie will be played next weekend in Nairobi.
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