Kenya’s Rising Starlets take the battle for a ticket to the 2026 Fifa Under-20 Women’s World Cup to Tanzania from 4pm today.
The teams clash in the return leg fixture of the third round of qualifiers at Azam Sports Complex in Chamazi, Dar es Salaam, this afternoon.
After winning the first leg 1-0 at Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi last Saturday courtesy of attacker Elizabeth Mideva’s 85th-minute goal, Kenya need only a draw to advance to the fourth and final qualifying round.
Mideva is among the leading goal scorers in the qualifiers, having scored four goals. Cote d’Ivoire’s Nadge N’Guessan and Safi Ouedraogo, and South Sudan’s Nyamam Makuach have also scored four goals each. Benin’s Romaine Gandonou (eight goals) and Cameroon’s Beverly Nimpa (six goals) lead the scorers’ chart.
Coach Jackline Juma’s Harambee Starlets arrived in Tanzania on Tuesday and were planning to finalise their preparations last evening at Azam, confident in protecting their advantage.
Coach Juma is expected to make changes to her squad after a series of mistakes saw her team squander many scoring opportunities in the first leg, prompting her to introduce Hilder Natecho and Emily Kemunto Morang’a in the second half. Morang’a provided the assist from which Mideva scored late in the second half.
Coach Juma could start with Christine Adhiambo in goal, shielded by Diana Ochol, Elizabeth Ochaka, and Lorine Ilavonga. Sherly Triva, captain Fasila Adhiambo, Morang’a, Sharon Vida, and Natecho are expected to control the midfield, supporting experienced attackers Valarie Nekesa and Elizabeth Mideva.
Seven players- Adhiambo, Ochol, Ilavonga, Ochaka, Faith, Pearl Olesi, and Nekesa - who played for Kenya in the 2024 Fifa Under-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic, are in the team. The seven started the first leg fixture in Nairobi.
On Friday, coach Juma acknowledged that she needed to rectify.
“We missed many scoring chances, and it’s something we can address in the second leg of the fixture.”
Tanzania, in contrast, boasts an experienced squad from its domestic league, plus one player from Egypt’s FC Masar.
Key Tanzanian players to watch out for in today’s fixture are experienced attackers Winfrida Hubert Gerald and Winfrida Casta.
Tanzania’s coach, Bakari Shime, had previously blamed her team’s loss to Kenya in the first-leg on the poor pitch conditions.
The aggregate winner of the fixture will face either Cameroon or Botswana in May in the final round of the qualifiers. Cameroon defeated Botswana 5-0 in the first leg.
Both Kenya and Tanzania are seeking their first-ever appearance in the World Cup. The tournament will be held in Poland from September 5 to 17.
