Junior Starlets gear up for Uganda encounter

The Junior Starlets Coach Mildred Cheche. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Junior Starlets have intensified training ahead of the return leg second round 2025 Fifa Under-17 Women’s World Cup qualifier match against Uganda set for Sunday at the Nyayo Stadium.

Starlets will be looking to complete the job they started with a 2-0 win away at Hamz Stadium Nakivubo in Kampala last Saturday.

With much of the heavy task having been done in Uganda, a draw of any kind against Teen Cranes will see Starlets advance to the final round of qualifiers.

History making Starlets who are determined to return to the global event set for October 17 to November 7 in Morocco for a second year in a row will play the aggregate winner of the Cameroon and Ethiopia qualifier.

Cameroon, just like Kenya, have one foot in the final round following their impressive 5-2 first leg home win against Ethiopia. The two sides will meet tomorrow at the Abebe Bikila Stadium in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Speaking during a training session, Starlets defender Lorine Ilavonga said that they are under pressure to perform because their opponents come ready to meet a strong team that has been at the World Cup.

“We are under pressure because we must work hard so we can return to the World. It’s not easy for us because our opponents train to play a team that has been at the World Cup,” Ilavonga said.

Forward Joan Ogola who scored Starlets second goal against Teen Cranes said she was yearning to score a goal for the team.

“I trusted and believed that God will give me a chance to score a goal because I had not scored for the Under-17 team. After I provided an assist for one of our goals at the World Cup, my desire was to also score and I was very happy when I finally made it happen against Uganda,” Ogola said.

With Ugandan tactician Sheryl Botes promising to bounce back and register good results, her Starlets equal Mildred Cheche has maintained that the work is not done until her charges secure the final round ticket.