Junior Starlets tactician Mildred Cheche has attributed an offensive mindset to their 3-0 triumph over Ethiopia in the third leg of the U-17 World Cup qualifiers at Ulinzi Sports Complex on Sunday.
The teams had drawn 0-0 in the return fixture at Abebe Bikila Stadium in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Skipper Elizabeth Ochaka broke the deadlock in the 44th minute, heading home a corner.
Velma Awuor doubled the advantage in the 55th before Lornah Faith sealed the win in the 70th minute.
This win propels Kenya closer to the U-17 World Cup from October 16 to November 3 in the Dominican Republic.
Cheche credited the team’s aggressive approach for their dominant performance.
“We took the game to them right from the start,” Cheche said. “They expected us to sit back like we did in the first leg, but our offensive strategy paid off.”
Cheche heaped praise on midfielder Rebecca Odato for her outstanding display.
“In the first leg, her confidence was low. With training, she grew more assured and was one of our standout players today,” she said.
“The fans played a crucial role. Their support gave the girls tremendous morale. We’re deeply grateful.”
Starlets will face Burundi in the fourth and final qualifier in June, aiming to make history as the first Kenyan team to play in a Fifa World Cup.
Burundi demonstrated their prowess with a staggering 24-0 aggregate win over Djibouti in their third leg qualifier.
Cheche acknowledged the Burundi threat. “Burundi is formidable. We’ve faced them before and they came out on top,” said the coach.
Meticulous planning will be key.
“We need thorough analysis and preparation. We’re returning to training to strategise for this crucial match. We had a plan to beat Ethiopia and we will have one before we play Burundi,” she noted.
Cheche plans to leverage the upcoming school games to scout new talent.
“We have strong ties with schools. The school games in June will be a perfect platform to scout for new players,” she noted.
Ethiopian coach Rawda Dessye commended Kenya for their spirited performance.
“Kenya’s eagerness and fighting spirit was decisive. It was a tough match for us,” she admitted, attributing her team’s defeat to a lack of composure.
“Our players were tense and didn’t perform as expected.”
She added: “We want Kenya to represent East Africa at the World Cup.”
