Kenya’s Rising Starlets have been dumped out of the 2022 FIFA U20 Women World Cup Qualifiers following a 3-1 to Uganda at St. Mary’s Stadium, losing 10-3 on aggregate.Kenya needed to score six goals without a reply to proceed to the next round but Uganda were the better team for the better part of the return leg of the qualifier.Kenya however had a better display as compared to the first leg encounter at Nyayo that saw Uganda grab an emphatic 7-2 win to take a resounding lead into the fixture on aggregate.F.T🇺🇬 3-1 🇰🇪🇺🇬Margret Kunihira🇰🇪Peris Inside (Pen)🇺🇬 Hadijah Nandago🇺🇬 Juliet Nalukenge#RisingStarlets#Tunaweza pic.twitter.com/bHviatg9XR— Harambee Starlets (@StarletsKE) October 8, 2021 Uganda opened the scoring in the first half before Kenya grabbed an equalizer but the hosts restored their lead with seven minutes left to the break, grabbing the other goal towards the end of the second half.Rising Starlets weakness on defending setpieces was exposed as all the three goals scored by Uganda were from set plays.Magret Kunihira drew first blood in the 14th minute, connecting a Sumaya Komuntale cross from a corner kick to give Uganda the lead.Kenya made even the scores just seven minutes later from the spot after settling back in the game, with Peris Osinde converting the penalty perfectly.90′ GOAL ALERT!!!Juliet Nalukenge with a bullet free-kickUganda U-20 3-1 Kenya U-20 (14’ Margret Kunihira, 20’ Peris Oside – penalty, 38’ Hadijah Nandago, 90’ Juliet Nalukenge)Listen Live on @FUFARadio#UGAKENWatch Live on You-Tube: https://t.co/OV4jsxlSWv pic.twitter.com/kQrJj0qytG— FUFA (@OfficialFUFA) October 8, 2021 Uganda restored their lead in the 38th minute courtesy of Hadijah Nandago, yet again resulting from a corner kick and protected that lead to the break.On resumption, Kenya tried to get at least a win with the hopes of qualifying dwindling with every minute passed.Eunice Mwangi was a threat from long throws whenever Kenya had the opportunity but Uganda defended diligently.Juliet Nalukenge hammered the last nail when he struck home beautifully from a freekick to extend Uganda’s lead right at the death.Uganda will now face off with the winner between South Africa and Mozambique in the next round.Perhaps, Harambee Starlets head coach Charles Okere will pride himself in having managed to do damage control in the second leg and his team was exposed thoroughly, or maybe he won’t.
