Kenya’s Junior Starlets are on the verge of securing their first-ever ticket to the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup following a decisive 3-0 victory over Burundi in Ethiopia on Sunday.
Goals from Lorna Faith in the 11th minute, Marion Serenge in the 43rd minute, and Susan Akoth in the 71st minute propelled Kenya to a commanding win in the first leg of the final round of qualifiers at the Abebe Bikila Stadium in Addis Ababa.
This victory gives Kenya a crucial advantage as they head into the second leg, scheduled for June 16. Junior Starlets head coach Mildred Cheche was ecstatic at the full-time whistle, praising her team’s excellent performance and their efforts in securing the win.
“We are all happy with the outcome and couldn’t have hoped for anything better. We shall now have an easy time in the reverse fixture,” Mildred stated.
“Still, we got a lot of work to do. There is no room to rest until we get the job done and dusted,” she added.
Assistant coach Anne ‘Aunty’ Aluoch said playing on the same surface a fortnight earlier gave them an edge over their opponents.
“It was a big advantage playing in Ethiopia given we played in the same facility against Ethiopia in our first leg of the third round of the qualifier,” Aluoch remarked.
“We must work extremely hard and prepare well enough for the next leg because our opponents will come fighting for their lives,” she added.
Coach Mildred Cheche urged the Junior Starlets to maintain their focus as they prepare to finish the job in Nairobi next week.
Captain Elizabeth Ochoka expressed confidence in the team’s ability to secure a World Cup spot, attributing their success to the improvements made following their third-round encounter against Ethiopia.
Ochoka noted, “The coaches addressed all the weak areas that could have jeopardized our campaign. We are happy everything is now flowing smoothly, which made today’s win easier.” She added, “We entered the match with clear instructions to secure a big win and simplify our task for the second leg back home.”
The aggregate winner of the two-leg tie will earn an automatic ticket to the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in October, to be held in the Dominican Republic. The 23-member squad features a mix of emerging talents from schools and clubs across Kenya.
