Nairobi: The Kenya U20 women's national team, Rising Starlets, are through to the third round of the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup Qualifiers after sealing a convincing 5-1 aggregate victory over Ethiopia.
According to Kenya News Agency, the Rising Starlets beat Ethiopia 4-0 in the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup Qualifiers match, wrapping up their second-round ties with a commanding win at the Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi. Valerie Nekesa opened the scoring in the 4th minute, before Elizabeth Mideva doubled the lead in the 16th minute. Captain Fasila Adhiambo struck in the 28th minute to make it three, and Mideva returned in the second half to complete her brace in the 67th minute of the match.
Ethiopia came back in the second half determined to salvage their campaign, but despite their late push, Kenya's backline held firm, keeping the scoreline intact. In the first leg, played a week earlier at the Abebe Bikila Stadium in Addis Ababa, Mideva found the net to secure a vital 1-1 away draw. She now stands as Kenya's top scorer in the qualifiers with three goals.
Rising Starlets Coach Jackline Juma expressed satisfaction with the results and the team's performance. She emphasized the importance of maintaining possession, applying counter-press, and changing formation as key tactical moves. Juma highlighted the strategy of scoring early as beneficial, contrasting it with their previous match in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia's Coach Chalew Lemecha attributed the loss to issues in team play and a lack of mental readiness. Despite this, he commended his players for their resilience and maintained optimism for future matches. The Rising Starlets' victory sets up an East African derby against Tanzania in the third round. Kenya will host the first leg before traveling for the return fixture, with both matches scheduled for February 2026.
The fourth and decisive round, determining Africa's representatives for the global event, will take place in May next year. The Rising Starlets aim to secure their first World Cup qualification, aspiring to make history as the second team to take Kenya to the World Cup stage.