Kenya’s Junior Starlets head coach Mildred Cheche has
challenged her players to improve their finishing and defensive organization as
they prepare to face the United States in their second Group E match 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 leaves Kenya needing a strong response against
the USA as they pursue a place in the knockout stages for the first time in
their history.
Speaking to Citizen Digital, Cheche admitted that the team’s
failure to convert scoring opportunities proved costly against China, despite a
promising first-half performance.
“Even though we had conceded, we played better in the first
half than in the second. However, we have an opportunity to rectify things in
the next match,” Cheche said.
She added that the forwards must be more clinical if Kenya
are to compete against the USA and keep their qualification hopes alive.
“My players did well in creating chances in the opponents’
half, but the big task now is converting them. That is the only thing
remaining,” she said.
Cheche, who guided the team to their second appearance at
the World Cup after their debut in 2024 in the Dominican Republic, remains
optimistic that the Junior Starlets can bounce back.
“We will keep fighting for the country and continue trying.
We are going to encourage the girls, and we hope for the best,” she added.
Midfielder Lindey Weey Atieno echoed her coach’s sentiments,
expressing confidence that Kenya can produce a better performance against the
Americans.
“We will use a different approach against the USA, and I
believe we shall win. I want to encourage our fans back at home not to lose
hope and to continue supporting us. We have lost only one match; we have two to
go, and I believe we will still bounce back,” Atieno said.
During their maiden World Cup appearance in 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.