KAS U-17 girls advance to GIFT semis

The Kenya Academy of Sports (KAS) Under-17 girls' football team has advanced to the semifinals of the inaugural Integrated Football Tournament (GIFT) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The tournament, which began on Monday, runs until Saturday.

Coached by Jackline Juma, KAS secured a 2-1 win over their Kenyan counterparts, Kenya Elite Junior Academy (KEJA), at the Azam Sports Complex on Monday eveningg. This victory placed them second in Group 'A' with six points, three behind group leaders JKT.

KEJA striker Sarah Awino opened the scoring in the seventh minute, but KAS equalised in the 24th minute through Mitchel Muthama. The winning goal came in the 61st minute courtesy of Jenevine Mithel.

KEJA, under the guidance of coach Mildred Cheche, finished third in the group with three points, while South Sudan's City Lights Football Academy ended their campaign without a point.

"We created many (chances), but conceding goals depends on the players' mental strength to recover, which was positive in today's match," said Juma, who also manages Talanta FC in the Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKF-PL).

"We led but lost focus due to mistakes, and our opponents capitalized on our loss of confidence," remarked Cheche during a post-match interview.

Two Under-15 players, midfielder Tabitha Wambui and defender Faith Boke, made their debut with the U-17 team in the match.

The KAS roster also boasts World Cup veterans, including Butere Girls High School midfielders Halima Imbachi and Joy Angela Valencia, alongside defenders Jenevine Mithel, Lindey Weey, Lorine Ilavonga, and goalkeeper Velma Abwire.

"These are test matches for both teams as we prepare for the World Cup qualifiers in March," added Cheche, who previously led the Junior Starlets to their first World Cup appearance.

Kenya’s U-17 team will face the winner of the Namibia-Uganda tie in the second round of the 2025 FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup qualifiers, scheduled for March 14-16.