The Kenya National U-17 girls’ team are poised for a historic first-ever encounter against Ethiopia in the third round of the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers. The first-leg match will take place at the Abebe Bikila Stadium in Addis Ababa.
Coached by Mildred Cheche, the Junior Starlets arrived in Addis Ababa on Wednesday night and familiarized themselves with the pitch during a training session on Thursday evening. Although they are entering uncharted territory in this competition, Cheche is optimistic that her team is prepared for the challenge posed by the formidable Ethiopian side.
“We have trained, and I believe we are ready to play against Ethiopia aiming for a positive result here in Ethiopia,” she stated with confidence.
Captain Elizabeth Ochaka echoed her coach’s sentiments, emphasizing the team’s resolve to give their all on the pitch and hopefully secure a crucial victory. “We are determined to return with the three points,” she stated.
Despite having no prior competitive matches in this tournament, the Kenyan squad is determined to make its mark. Their second-round opponent, the Democratic Republic of Congo, withdrew from the qualifiers, giving Kenya a walkover into the third round.
Ethiopia, coached by Rawda Ali, are widely regarded as favorites for this clash, having dominated South Africa 3-0 on aggregate in February.
However, Kenya remains unfazed, ready to rise to the challenge with assistant captain and striker Valarie Nekesa set to lead the Starlets’ attack alongside Marion Serenge, Quinter Adhiambo, and Diana Onyango. Nekesa, the fan favorite who netted a hat-trick against Angola in the Under-20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers last year, will be key to Kenya’s attacking strategy.
The second leg is scheduled for May 19 at the Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi where the Starlets will hope to capitalize on their home advantage.
The winner of this matchup will progress to the fourth and final round, facing either Djibouti or Burundi for the chance to represent Cecafa at the 2024 Under-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic.
(pulse sports)
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