Junior Starlets captain Elizabeth Ochoka has expressed confidence in her team’s ability to secure results as they face Burundi Women’s Under 17 in the first leg match of the fourth and final round of the Women’s Under 17 World Cup qualifier.The match is set to take place at the Abebe Bikila Stadium in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the same venue where Kenya played against host Ethiopia in the previous leg. Ochoka reassured that familiarity with the pitch wouldn’t be an issue, stating, “We are going back there. It will be the second time we are playing there, and at least now, we know how that pitch feels. It is not a bad one. We will settle in immediately.”##NAJAVA_MECA_8148119##Speaking after the team’s final training session at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani Annex, before departing to Ethiopia, Ochoka emphasized the team’s readiness, saying, “We have made corrections to all the mistakes that we committed in our last game against Ethiopia, which means we are a better team currently than we were. We will give our best on the pitch and try to win the game.”Ochoka will be expected to lead her team in this journey as they strive to make history, not only for themselves but for the football fraternity and indeed the whole country at large. She says the team is ready for that task“We are all going to work hard once we step onto the pitch. We will do all that is within our means to try and win the match.”Ochoka, alongside her teammates Halima Imbachi and Lorine Ilaronga, are determined to make history for themselves and the country. Valerie Nekesa highlights Junior Starlets’ strong travelling contingent for Burundi U17 World Cup qualifiersImbachi highlighted the opportunity the World Cup presents for exposure, while Ilaronga emphasized the significance of representing Kenya on a global stage.“You know, for a World Cup, if we get the chance to play, many coaches and agents will get to watch us, and you never know, some might get impressed and offer an opportunity,” stated Imbachi.“Someone might also reach out later and reference the World Cup as the stage where they saw you. Such an opportunity would change my life and that of many others. It would help us transform our families,” she added.Assuring fans, Ilaronga stated, “Together with my teammates, we are all focused on the match. I want to assure Kenyans that we will win the game and go to the World Cup.”A victory in this fixture would mark the first time a football team from Kenya participated in a World Cup, underscoring the significance of the match for the nation.The Women’s Under 17 World Cup is scheduled to take place in the Dominican Republic from October 16th to November 3rd, 2024.2026WCQ: Firat’s tactical prowess falls short as Kenya struggles against Burundi
