Kenya’s Junior Starlets are set to face Ethiopia in a vital FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifier, aiming for a favorable outcome.
The Kenya National U-17 girls’ team, known as the Junior Starlets, are gearing up for their first-ever match against Ethiopia in the third round of the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.
The opening leg of the match is scheduled at Abebe Bikila Stadium in Addis Ababa on Friday, with a kick-off time of 3 p.m. Kenyan time. Under the guidance of coach Mildred Cheche, the Junior Starlets arrived in Addis Ababa on Wednesday evening and got acquainted with the stadium during a practice session on Thursday.
Despite this being their debut in this stage of the competition, Coach Cheche remains hopeful, expressing confidence in her team’s readiness to take on the strong Ethiopian team.
“We have prepared well, and I believe we are ready to face Ethiopia and aim for a good result here,” she confidently stated.
Team captain Elizabeth Ochaka also reflected her coach’s confidence, emphasizing the team’s determination to perform well and strive for a vital win.
“We are committed to bringing back the three points,” she declared.
Kenya skipped directly to this round after their second-round opponent, the Democratic Republic of Congo, withdrew from the competition, giving them an automatic advance.
On the other hand, Ethiopia, coached by Rawda Ali, enters as the favorites, having defeated South Africa 3-0 in aggregate in February.
Nonetheless, Kenya remains undeterred, ready to meet the challenge head-on with assistant captain and forward Valarie Nekesa leading the charge alongside Marion Serenge, Quinter Adhiambo, and Diana Onyango.
Nekesa, a fan favorite who scored a hat-trick against Angola in last year’s Under-20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers, will be pivotal in Kenya’s offensive strategy.
The match will be televised live on Ethiopian National Television and the Ethiopia Football Federation YouTube channel, allowing fans from both countries and around the world to watch these young talents compete.
The return leg will take place on May 19 at the Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi, where the Starlets will look to leverage their home field advantage.
The winner of this tie will advance to the fourth and final qualifying round, potentially facing either Djibouti or Burundi for a spot to represent Cecafa at the 2024 Under-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic.
