Junior Starlets Sunday evening became the first Kenyan football team to ever qualify for a FIFA World Cup, after beating a determined Burundi 2-0 at the Ulinzi Complex, Nairobi.
Marion Serenge and Valarie Nekesa were on target for the Kenyan U-17 side, both goals coming in the first half, making it 5-0 in aggregate thus emphatically sealing their ticket to the global fiesta set for October 2024 in Dominican Republic.
Kenya had won the first leg 3-0 a week ago in Addis Ababa – Ethiopia, and needed just to avoid a defeat of more than two goals to qualify but the girls went for more glory.
Buoyed by fans who filled the Ulinzi Complex to capacity, the Kenyan girls dominated the proceedings, from the start to the end. This was despite Burundi’s improved show in the second half.
Junior Starlets head coach Mildred Cheche termed today’s win against Burundi as Kenya’s big moment.
“This is a big moment for me, the entire technical bench, the girls and the country. This is a big win, and it is already a big motivation to perform well at the World Cup.
“We have a very formidable team that is able to compete at any level,” said an ecstatic Cheche.
“We just don’t want to go there and just participate. We want to go there and compete with the best of the best,” she added.
