Former Harambee Starlets tactician David Ouma has tipped Junior Starlets to defeat the United States in their second Group E match tonight at the ongoing FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Rabat, Morocco.
The Junior Starlets got their campaign off to a disappointing start on Monday, suffering a 3-0 defeat to China at the Mohammed VI Football Academy.
The result left Kenya needing a strong response against the USA as they pursue a place in the knockout stages for the first time in their history.
“As a Kenyan I must rally behind my team to perform in the continental showpiece. I watched their match against China and really failed to convert couple of chances something they need to utilize ahead of tonight's match.
'USA beating Samoa 17-0 should not scare them at all, I remember a situation when I was coaching Starlets back in the years when Malawi beat Mozambique 13-0 in the Olympic qualifiers but we went on and defeated them so beating the USA can be achieved,” added Ouma, now Mathare United coach.
United States side arrives in the match in formidable scoring form after dismantling Samoa 17-0 in their opening match.
The Americans scored nine goals in the first half before adding eight after the break in a record-setting victory that became the biggest win in an 11-a-side FIFA World Cup match.
Forward Maddie DiMaria was the standout performer, scoring six goals to set a new record for the most goals by an individual player in a Women's World Cup match at any level. 10 American players found the net as they overwhelmed their opponents with relentless attacking pressure.
The result underlined the scale of the challenge facing Kenya; their defence will need to remain organised and disciplined to prevent the Americans from finding the same spaces they exploited against Samoa.
During their maiden World Cup appearance in Dominican Republic 2024, the Junior Starlets finished third in Group C with three points. They lost 2-0 to England and 3-0 to North Korea before recording a 2-1 victory over Mexico.
Kenya will be hoping to build on that experience and progress beyond the group stage this time around. Their qualification for the 2026 tournament followed an impressive campaign that included a 5-1 aggregate victory over South Africa in the final qualifying round.
The Junior Starlets will conclude their Group E campaign against Samoa on October 25, with both remaining matches scheduled to take place at the Mohammed VI Football Academy.