The Kenyan women’s Under-17 national football team has embarked on a crucial journey to Cameroon for the second leg of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup 2025 Qualifiers.
Departing early today, the Junior Starlets aim to reverse their fortunes after a challenging first match, where they narrowly lost 1-0 at the Nyayo Stadium.
In the first leg, a first-half header from Tiwa Melong sealed Starlets’ fate, despite the team’s spirited efforts and dominance in the latter part of the game. Starlets struggled to convert their chances, factored by both missed opportunities and time-wasting tactics employed by their opponents.
Despite the loss, head coach Mildred Cheche praised the squad for their resilience.
On Tuesday, the team received a morale boost during a visit from the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Hussein Mohammed and Principal Secretary for Sports Elijah Mwangi.
Captain Halima Imbachi expressed her regret at not securing a win in the first leg but assured fans of their commitment to achieving victory in Yaoundé.
“We apologise to our supporters for the first-leg result. Your prayers and encouragement mean a lot to us. We have worked hard in training to rectify our mistakes, and we are ready to give everything,” she stated.
Mwangi lauded the team’s achievements thus far and expressed his hope for their success in Cameroon.
“These young athletes have demonstrated incredible determination by reaching this stage. We are committed to supporting them across all sports disciplines in our country. If they secure a win, there will be rewards for their efforts,” he promised.
As they prepare to face Cameroon, Junior Starlets are eager to secure their place at the World Cup for the second consecutive time, having made their debut last year in the Dominican Republic.
Coach Ndoko of Cameroon acknowledged the challenging nature of the first match and warned that his team should expect another fierce contest.
Cheche remains optimistic, projecting that the Starlets will adopt a proactive approach from the opening whistle.
“We will be playing away, it will be a very tough match. We have everything to play for while they have everything to lose. We will have to go all out. It’s not going to be easy for Cameroon. They should expect a tough match in the return leg,” she said.
Robert Abong’o
| Apr 23, 2025