Kenya’s Junior Starlets Make History With FIFA U-17 World Cup Last-16 Qualification

Kenya’s Junior Starlets have written another chapter in the country’s football history after qualifying for the Round of 16 at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup for the first time.

The East Africans secured their historic place in the knockout stages with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Samoa in their final Group E match at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Morocco on Sunday.

Kenya entered the match knowing that an ordinary victory would not be enough. They needed to win by four clear goals to have a chance of progressing as one of the tournament’s best third-placed teams.

They delivered exactly that.

Bakari leads Kenyan charge

Mwanakombo Bakari gave the Junior Starlets the perfect start, opening the scoring after just four minutes.

Kenya continued searching for the goals required to keep their World Cup campaign alive, and Brenda Awuor doubled the advantage shortly before half-time with a low strike from distance.

The decisive period arrived after the break.

Gaudancia Maloba made it 3-0 in the 62nd minute before Bakari struck again two minutes later to complete her brace and give Kenya the four-goal margin they desperately needed.

Bakari’s performance earned her the FIFA Player of the Match award.

Kenya eventually finished third in Group E with three points and advanced as one of the four best third-placed teams, edging Canada for the final available knockout-stage position.

From two heavy defeats to history

The achievement is even more impressive considering how Kenya’s tournament began.

Coach Mildred Cheche’s side suffered a 3-0 defeat to China PR in their opening match before going down 6-1 to the United States.

Those results left Kenya facing elimination heading into their final group match.

Instead of allowing the setbacks to end their campaign, the Junior Starlets produced their best performance when it mattered most.

The 4-0 victory over Samoa transformed their tournament and secured Kenya’s first appearance in the knockout stages of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

It represents another significant milestone for a team that has already played an important role in Kenyan football history.

The Junior Starlets made their World Cup debut in the Dominican Republic in 2024, becoming the first Kenyan football team to qualify for a FIFA World Cup tournament.

Two years later, they have gone one step further.

Japan await in Round of 16

Kenya’s reward is a formidable Round of 16 encounter against Japan on Thursday, 29 October at the Mohammed VI Football Complex.

Kick-off is scheduled for 21:00 East African Time.

Japan will present a major challenge after completing the group stage with a perfect record, but the Junior Starlets will enter the encounter knowing they have already demonstrated their ability to respond when under pressure.

Kenya are also part of a strong African presence in the knockout stages.

Ghana, Nigeria and hosts Morocco have also reached the Round of 16, giving the continent four representatives in the knockout phase.

For Kenya, however, the achievement carries particular significance.

From becoming the country’s first football team to appear at a FIFA World Cup in 2024 to reaching the knockout stages just two years later, the Junior Starlets continue to break new ground for Kenyan football.

Now Japan stand between them and another piece of history.