In Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic
Kenya Women Under-17 national team’s head coach, Mildred Cheche, has credited her team’s 2-1 victory over Mexico in their final Group ‘C’ match of the 2024 Fifa Under-17 Women's World Cup in the Dominican Republic on Wednesday to timely change of strategy.
Cheche emphasised that shifting from long balls to maintaining possession helped her team secure a first-ever World Cup win.
“The game was neither easy nor hard. As a team, we agreed to keep the ball instead of playing long balls, something that had affected us in the first two matches against England and Korea. Our wish was to leave this tournament with at least a win and not finish bottom of the table,” Cheche said.
Junior Starlets savour historic win in Under-17 World Cup
Kenya started brightly, creating more than five scoring chances in the first 10 minutes of the match, but failed to convert them into goals.
Four minutes later, a long ball from captain Elizabeth Ochaka found striker Joan Ogola, who set up Valarie Nekesa for the opening goal. Nekesa became the first Kenyan female footballer to score in a World Cup.
In the 35th minute, Kenya doubled their lead when Lorna Faith found the back of the net after multiple attempts. Mexico managed a late consolation goal when Alexa Sato scored from the penalty spot after defender Christine Adhiambo fouled striker Citlalli Reyes in the box.
Junior Starlets aim to end U-17 World Cup campaign with a bang
Cheche made key changes to her lineup due to injuries to defenders Lorine Ilavonga and Dianah Anyango, while Rebecca Odato was suspended after receiving two yellow cards in their two group matches against England and North Korea. Pearl Olesi, Halima Imbachi, and Kimberly Akinyi were brought into the starting 11 for the Mexico game.
Kenya had already been eliminated going into this match after losing 2-0 to England and 3-0 to North Korea in their first two matches.
Cheche praised her players’ tactical discipline and resilience, stressing the importance of nurturing young talent to ensure future success.
“The match was good, tactically we got it right, as they gave their best, and I’m glad that we aren’t going home empty-handed. The quality of the opponent matters, too; we were better than Mexico, used our chances right, and got a lot of chances to score, but it never happened. A win is important to us; it is the first time playing in the World Cup and winning in Kenya,” Cheche said.
Reflecting on the team's journey, Cheche called for continued investment in these young players to build on their World Cup experience and prepare for the future.
“I urge the government and federation to keep supporting these girls even after an early exit in the World Cup. This is because they need more playing time internationally, engage them in high-profile friendlies and tournaments, so that when we start playing in the 2025 World Cup qualifiers, we can come back to the World Cup,” she added.
Cheche remains optimistic about the future, saying, “What stands out is the attitude of our players: they are young, and we will have them in the next edition, so we need to learn, analyse, and carry on working for good results in the future.”
Nekesa, a Form Three student at Madira Girls High School in Vihiga County, expressed pride in her historic goal, noting the importance of the experience gained at the World Cup.
“We were psyched up for the match and wanted to turn things around after losing two matches. Scoring in the World Cup is good exposure; I am proud of myself since it's so encouraging. As I go back home, I will not give up; I will always do my best. We have gained lots of experience,” Nekesa said.
Nekesa, who also plays for Football Kenya Federation Women’s Premier League (FKF-WPL) side Soccer Assassins, has also turned out for the Kenya Women’s Under-20 team Rising Starlets.
Soccer Assassins, which is made up of players from Madira Girls High School, made history as the first secondary school in Kenya to feature in a top-flight league.
In March, she was awarded the Most Promising Girl in the Sports Personality of the Year Awards.
Striker Lorna Faith, who was named Player of the Match, echoed similar sentiments, appreciating the support from home and stressing the importance of this victory for the team.
“I know Kenyans are happy, thank you for trusting in us. We appreciate the support and continue believing in us,” said Faith.
In another Group 'C' match, two-time champions North Korea defeated England 4-0 to finish top of the group. North Korea had earlier won 3-0 against Kenya and 4-1 against Mexico. England finished second, while Kenya placed third with three points. Mexico finished last with no points.
This year's edition of the Under-17 Women's World Cup marks the last with 16 teams before expanding to 24 in 2028. From 2025, the tournament will become an annual event involving 24 nations, with Morocco set to host from 2025 to 2029.
With Kenya and Zambia eliminated from the competition, Nigeria are the sole African representatives and will face USA in the first quarter-final tomorrow. On Sunday, North Korea face Poland, while defending champions Spain will battle Ecuador.
