National Under-17 coach Mildred Cheche has challenged her players to sharpen their finishing and defensive organisation in a bid to revive their campaign at the ongoing Fifa U-17 Women's World Cup in Morocco.
The national girls’ team, popularly known as Junior Starlets, suffered a 3-0 defeat to China in their opening Group 'E' match on Monday at the Mohammed VI Football Academy in Salé.
That result leaves the Kenyan girls with little room for error as they pursue a place in the knockout stage of the global showpiece.
Forward Xu Yue gave China the lead in the 12th minute, capitalising on a defensive lapse before dribbling past several Kenyan players and finding the back if the net after receiving a pass from Fang Zhenzhu. Forward Xu Xiaotang scored a brace in the 49th and 52nd minutes of the match.
“The girls tried. We had some good moments in the first half, but after conceding in the second half, we did not play as well as we would have wanted,” said Cheche. “We have an opportunity to correct the mistakes we made before our next match.”
Cheche acknowledged that the team needed to improve its game to remain competitive. Junior Starlets’ next game is against the United States of America on Thursday. The US opened its campaign with a resounding 17-0 victory over tournament debutants Samoa.
“There is a lot of improvement needed if we want to go beyond the group stage. We have to work in several areas, especially our forwards and the defence, and hopefully we will get things right before the next match,” the coach said.
While Kenya showed glimpses of attacking promise against China, their inability to turn chances into goals proved costly.
China forward Zhao Jiayi (left) challenges Junior Starlets defender Brenda Awuor for the ball during their 2026 Fifa Under-17 Women’s World Cup Group 'E' match at the Mohammed VI Football Academy in Morocco on October 19, 2026.
Photo credit: Pool
“We did well in creating chances in the opponents’ half. Now we need to convert those chances. That is the only thing remaining,” Cheche said.
The coach handed Mishel Ngono the starting role in goal, protected by a back four of Fleviah Khatenje, Ruth Mulongo, Brenda Awuor and captain Bevarline Awuor.
Mwanakombo Bakari, Joan Ogola and Noelina Akuku anchored the midfield, while Brenda Achieng, Lindey Weey and Gaudencia Maloba led the attack.
China dominated possession as the first half progressed, registering seven attempts at goal compared to Kenya’s two. The Asian side managed three shots on target, while Kenya failed to test the Chinese goalkeeper.
Coach Cheche then introduced Peninah Fostien for Noelina Akuku at the start of the second half in an attempt to strengthen the midfield and help Kenya gain a foothold in the match. However, the change failed to produce the desired impact.
The Kenyan tactician made another substitution in the 60th minute, bringing on Pauline Namisi for Ruth Barasa in defence as she sought to tighten the backline and prevent China from adding to their tally.
Defensively, the Starlets struggled to maintain their shape, with China repeatedly finding spaces behind the backline. Poor tracking of attacking runs and slow reactions after losing possession also left Kenyan defenders exposed to quick counterattacks.
Ngono and the defense will also need to improve their coordination, while the midfield must provide better cover whenever the team commits players forward.
Junior Starlets coach Mildred Cheche in a pep talk with the national women's Under-17 team players during a training session at Moi International Sports Annexe ground on June 29, 2026.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
Despite the difficult start, midfielder Weey remains optimistic that Kenya can respond positively.
“We face tough opponents in our next match. We will approach it differently, and I believe we will get positive results,” said Weey, a student at Raila Educational Centre in Nairobi.
“To our fellow Kenyans, it is not over yet. Losing the first match does not mean we are out. We still have two matches, and we will bounce back.”
Weey is among three players in the squad who featured at the 2024 Under-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic. The others are defender Brenda Awuor and forward Faith Boke.
Xiaotang admitted that her team had struggled to find its rhythm in the first half before improving after the break.
“We felt a bit nervous because it was our first game. But at half-time, we received a lot of encouragement from our head coach and encouraged each other, so we played better in the second half,” she said.
Starlets will conclude their group-stage campaign against Samoa on October 25, with both remaining matches scheduled at the Mohammed VI Football Academy.
