Kenya U-20 girls look to finish the job in Angola

Kenya’s coach, Beldine Odemba, has kept faith with  the team that beat Angola 6 -1 in Nairobi in the first leg  match of the second round of 2024 Fifa Under-20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.

Kenya Under-20 team, christened ‘Rising Starlets’, play home team Angola Saturday evening from 5.30pm (Kenyan time) in the return leg match at Estádio 22 de Junho in Luanda.

Odemba has virtually maintained the team that Beat Angola in Nairobi, only including four new players in the 21-member  final squad. The four are defender Rachael Adhiambo and strikers Ann Nabwire, Marion Serenge and Faith Atieno.

“I have added just four new players to the squad.  They are the players we really wanted to feature in the first leg, but we had a challenge in documentation. We want to come out so that they can start preparing to transition to the senior team,” coach Odemba said on Wednesday after the team’s final training session at the Kasarani Annex in Nairobi.

“I feel that they (the players) are ready to feature for Harambee Starlets. From this competition, this is the right time to bring them forward for a bigger challenge. They are talented players, and I believe they are equal to the task ahead,” stated Odemba.

Kenya won the first leg 6-1 on  Sunday at Nyayo National Stadium. Striker Valarie Nekesa scored a hat-trick in the third, sixth, and 21st minutes on her debut. Another stand-out player, striker Charity Midewa, scored two goals in the 44th and 57th minutes.

Substitute Faith Naliaka sealed the win for Kenya with a goal in the 80th minute.

Midfielder Ivone Julio scored Angola’s consolation in the 23rd minute.

Kenya holds the advantage heading into Saurday’s clash. Both teams were granted byes in the first round against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Sudan, respectively after the two nations withdrew from the competition last month.

Starlets landed safely in Angola on Thursday and had a feel of  the Estádio dos Coqueiros in Luanda.

Last Sunday, Angola’s coach, Sandra Dias, spoke of the challenges her team faced in the moments leading to the game.

“We encountered a significant delay in obtaining our visas, which resulted in our late arrival in Kenya. This setback had a negative impact on our performance, leading to a poor start to our campaign for a place in the 2024 World Cup. My players were unfit, and it was evident in the match. We hope things will work out for us when we get back home,” she said.

The winner of Saturday’s match will qualify to play the winner of the second-round clash between Cameroon and Botswana.

Cameroon won the first leg 2-0 at home, and travel to Botswana on Sunday for the return leg.