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Heartbreak as Rising Starlets’ U-20 World Cup dream end in Dar
Kenya Rising Starlets Elizabeth Mideva (left) and Emily Kemunto celebrate a goal against Tanzania during their 2026 Fifa Under-20 Women's World Cup qualifying match at Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi on February 7, 2026.
What you need to know:
- The Rising Starlets had carried a one-goal advantage into the second leg match at the Azam Sports Complex in Dar es Salaam.
- The Kenyan girls fell to a 70th minute penalty by Tanzania midfielder Winfrida Hubert for a 1-1 aggregate tie over the two legs.
Kenya’s Rising Starlets were on Saturday eliminated from the 2026 Fifa Under-20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers by Tanzania on post-match penalties.
The Rising Starlets had carried a one-goal advantage into the second leg match at the Azam Sports Complex in Dar es Salaam, but fell to a 70th minute penalty by Tanzania midfielder Winfrida Hubert for a 1-1 aggregate tie, forcing the dreaded penalty shoot-out.
The home side prevailed 3-1 to advance to the fourth and final round of qualifiers, where they will face formidable Cameroon in May. The winner will advance to this year’s World Cup in Poland from September 5 to 17.
Read: Fifa Women's WC qualifiers: Kenya U-20 coach Juma looks to build on slim lead against Tanzania
Cameroon, who debuted in the Under-20 World Cup in 2024 in Colombia, advanced to the final round after a 5-1 aggregate victory over Botswana (5-0 at home and 0-1 away).
Starlets’ coach Jackline Juma made two changes from the first leg, starting Christine Adhiambo in goal, protected by Diana Ochol, Elizabeth Ochaka, Lorine Ilavonga, and Patience Asiko.
The midfield was controlled by captain Fasila Adhiambo, Lorna Faith, Sharon Vidah, and Emily Morang’a, supported by attackers Valarie Nekesa and Elizabeth Mideva. Morang’a replaced Pearl Olesi, and Asiko replaced Sherly Triza.
Return to the World Cup
Seven of the starting 11, namely, Adhiambo, Ochol, Ilavonga, Ochaka, Faith, Olesi, and Nekesa, played for Kenya in the 2024 Under-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic.
But their dream of making a return to the World Cup at a higher age category was not to be.
Tanzania’s coach, Bakari Shime, on the other hand, made one change, replacing Mary Arome with Gerald in attack.
This marks the second consecutive time Starlets have been eliminated in the third qualifying round of the Under-20 World Cup.
In the 2024 qualifiers, they were defeated by Cameroon, 5-3 on aggregate (3-0, 2-3) under current Harambee Starlets coach Beldine Odemba.
After Kenya’s first leg match in Nairobi on February 7 at Ulinzi Sports Complex, a bitter Tanzania coach, Shime complained about the condition of the pitch, blaming it for the result.
He vowed that the Tanzanians would turn the tables in Dar because they possessed better football than the Kenyans and they would display it on a superior playing surface.
However, Tanzanite Queens struggled to break down Rising Starlets yesterday and had to rely on a penalty award midway through the second half to restore parity.
