Harambee Junior Starlets were eliminated from medal contention on Monday morning after a 3-0 defeat to Korea DPR in the Under-17 Women’s World Cup at the CFC Stadium in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic. The two-time champions dominated from the start, with So Ryu-gyong netting an early brace, both assisted by Ho Kyong, in the 8th and 11th minutes with strikingly similar plays. Kuk Hyang sealed the victory with a precise header from a corner kick just four minutes before full-time.
Coach Mildred Cheche made one change from the previous match, starting Velma Awuor in place of Lindey Atieno, but Kenya struggled throughout and failed to register a single shot on target in the one-sided contest.
In another Group C match, ten-woman England overcame Mexico 4-2, securing their spot in the tournament’s quarterfinals. The Junior Starlets will now face Mexico in their final group match on Thursday at 2 a.m., with both teams already out of contention after losing their first two matches, while England and Korea DPR advance to the quarterfinals.
