Harambee Starlets first leg match against Eagles of Carthage set to Ulinzi Complex
Junior Starlets head coach Mildred Cheche has unveiled a 51 player provisional squad ahead of their crucial 2025 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifier against Uganda in March
The 2026 qualifiers in the Women African Cup of Nations contest pitting Kenya’s Harambee Starlets and Tunisia’s Eagles of Carthage will be played at Langata’s Ulinzi Complex.
The home match, which will be the first leg of the qualifiers will be next Friday. The second leg will be played away in Tunis, Tunisia, on February 25.
A team of 36 players have been selected for this important qualifier with 26 local players already in camp with 10 foreigners expected to join shortly. According to coach Beldine Odemba, home advantage will need to count for something with the benefit of home support being a huge motivating factor.
“We are ready for the challenge ahead. In our home match, we need to score and press forward aggressively to secure a positive result. We obviously expect a tough game a good opponent but I believe we can achieve the desired results,” she said.
Coach Odemba, who also handles the Women Premier League side Kenya Police Bullets FC, has emphasised the need for incorporating and utilizing youngsters in the game.
“The youth are the future of football. Bringing them into the senior team helps build a conveyor belt of talent. A great example is former Junior Starlets captain Elizabeth Ochaka, who has already played at the highest level, the 2024 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, leading her team to Kenya’s first-ever FIFA World Cup appearance.”
Meanwhile, Junior Starlets head coach Mildred Cheche has unveiled a 51 player provisional squad ahead of their crucial 2025 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifier against Uganda in March. The Junior Starlets will begin their training camp this week, with friendly matches lined up to ensure the team is well-prepared for the Uganda test.
“The squad that qualified for the last U17 World Cup has largely moved on, with players like Lorna Faith, Marion Serenge and Diana Anyango now part of the U20 team. This makes the challenge even tougher, but it is achievable,” Cheche stated.
The tie will be contested over two legs, with the first match scheduled between March 7 and 9, 2025, and the return leg set for March 14 to 16, 2025.
