Youth Affairs, Creative Economy, and Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba joined Kenyans from all walks of life in hailing the U17 national team; Junior Starlets for the exceptional performance in the first leg of the fourth and final round of the 2024 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.The youngsters silenced Burundi 3-0 in the match played on Sunday, June 9 at the Abebe Bikila Stadium in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.Lornah Faith opened the scoring for Kenya in the 11th minute, with Marion Serenge doubling the lead in the 43rd minute.##NAJAVA_MECA_8151662##In the second half, Susan Okoth sealed the victory in the 71st minute, placing Kenya firmly on the path to their World Cup dream.The win drew, Mildred Cheche’s charges closer to writing history as the first football team from Kenya to ever grace a World Cup competition.Speaking after the win, Namwamba said the win was a result of the meticulous planning by various stakeholders.Junior Starlets on brink of historic World Cup qualification after Burundi first-leg triumph“I am super proud of you special girls. We did the preparation well and the results are evident. Soak in this massive win, and enjoy every single moment. Then let’s finish the job at home in a week. Following that, you can pack your bags for the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean for the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup,” he said.This commanding win also gave the Junior Starlets a significant advantage heading into the second leg of the fourth round of the qualifiers slated for Ulinzi Sports Complex.The victor of this matchup secures an automatic qualification to the 2024 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, which will be held in October in the Dominican Republic.The Starlets’ journey to the World Cup began impressively with a comprehensive 3-0 aggregate win over Ethiopia in the earlier round.Kisumu All Starlets react after promotion to Women’s Super LeagueThey then played two friendly matches against the new Kenya Women’s Premier League (KWPL) champions, Kenya Police Bullets, and Ulinzi Starlets.The Junior Starlets lost 2-1 to Kenya Police Bullets but bounced back with a 2-1 win against Ulinzi Starlets, strengthening their preparation for the crucial qualifiers.Besides planning, Namwamba is proud to see several graduates of the first edition of the Talanta Hela initiative contribute to Starlets quest for a slot in the World Cup.Christine Adhiambo, Marion Serenge, Mitchel Waithera, Lorna Faith, Halima Imbachi, Velma Awuor, and Quinter Adhiambo.
