Harambee Starlets team coach Mildred Cheche is optimistic about their chances at the 2024 Fifa U-17 Women’s World Cup despite making a debut on the international stage.
“We’ve improved on several areas of play but we will need pre-World Cup tournaments since we’ll be facing the best of the best,” said Cheche.
They head out for an 11-day camp in Spain before heading to the Dominican Republic for the competition on October 1. The global competition is set for October 16-November 3.
The Junior Starlets will begin their group stage matches on October 18 against England before facing Korea DPR on October 20 in the next clash. They conclude their group campaign against Mexico on October 24.
The team currently comprises 35 players and will be trimmed to a final 23 before heading to Spain on September 19. Cheche sees the Starlets’ underdog status as an advantage. “No one knows how we play," she said.
“We’ve analysed the teams and I am happy with our status as underdogs. The opening match against England is important because it will give us the right bearing,” she added.
Captain Elizabeth Ochaka reflected on the significance of the team’s achievement. “Qualifying for the World Cup is a huge achievement, and we don’t take this chance for granted. Our goal is to go there and compete, not just participate,” Ochaka said.
Midfielder Velma Awuor is over the moon and shared her excitement about the upcoming matches. “I come from Nyakach Girls and I have a target of scoring at least one goal.”
They mark a historic moment as Kenya's first national football team to qualify for a World Cup. The Junior Starlets secured their World Cup qualification with a dominant 5-0 aggregate win over Burundi in the second leg of their U-19 World Cup qualifier.
They join Nigeria and Zambia as the three African teams representing the continent at the 2024 U17 Women’s World Cup.
