Junior Starlets striker Valarie Nekesa, along with the national U-17 team, has been nominated for the prestigious Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards in recognition of their outstanding performances this year. Additionally, U-17 head coach Mildred Cheche has earned a nomination for the Women’s Football Coach of the Year category.##NAJAVA_MECA_8511248##In an announcement made by CAF on Wednesday, Nekesa is among the 10 players nominated for the Women’s Young Player of the Year award.The Junior Starlets have also been shortlisted for the Women’s National Team of the Year category, recognizing their remarkable achievements this year.Seventeen-year-old Nekesa made history by scoring Kenya’s first-ever goal in a FIFA World Cup when she opened the scoring in Kenya’s last match of the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup—a 2-1 win over Mexico.Nekesa was also instrumental in securing Kenya’s first-ever qualification for a FIFA World Cup. Among her key contributions was scoring the goal that sealed the country’s qualification in a 2-0 win over Burundi on June 16, 2024.Mashemeji Derby in doubt as Sports Kenya announces unavailability of Nyayo StadiumShe is now the first Kenyan to be nominated in the Women’s Young Player of the Year category and hopes to become the first Kenyan to win the prestigious award.For the Women’s Young Player of the Year award, Nekesa will compete against Cathy Biya (Cameroon), Naomi Eto (Cameroon), Habiba Sabry (Egypt), Stella Nyamekye (Ghana), Doha El Madani (Morocco), Lina Mokhtar Jamai (Morocco), Chiamaka Okwuchukwu (Nigeria), Flourish Sabastine (Nigeria), and Nthabiseng Majiya (South Africa).The Junior Starlets, who became the first Kenyan football team to qualify for a FIFA World Cup, have been recognized for their efforts.The Women’s U-17 team was one of three African representatives—alongside Zambia and Nigeria—at the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup held in the Dominican Republic from October 16 to November 3, 2024.Other nominees in the Women’s National Team of the Year category include the Cameroon U-20 team, Malawi senior team, Morocco national team, Morocco U-20 team, Nigeria senior team, Nigeria U-17 team, Nigeria U-20 team, South Africa senior team, and Zambia senior team.The awards, covering the period between January 2024 and October 2024, will be held in the tourist city of Marrakesh, Morocco, on Monday, December 16, 2024.Gor Mahia captain Philemon Otieno sends message to fans ahead of Mashemeji Derby
