The Junior Starlets of Kenya moved closer to securing a spot in the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after defeating Uganda 2-0 in the first leg of their qualifying tie on Saturday evening at Nakivubo Stadium in Kampala.
Edinah Nasipwondi opened the scoring in the 36th minute, giving Kenya a 1-0 lead as she capitalized on a long pass behind Uganda’s defense and powered a right-footed shot into the net.
Just before halftime, Joan Ogola doubled the advantage by finishing off a fantastic pass from Lindi Weey, striking a well-timed shot from outside the 18-yard box to make it 2-0.
Uganda pushed hard in the second half, creating several chances, but they were unable to find the back of the net despite having home advantage.
With this victory, the Junior Starlets will host the return leg, giving them a significant advantage as they aim for the final qualifying round. There, they will face either Cameroon or Ethiopia for a chance to advance to the 2025 World Cup.
The return leg of the World Cup qualifying match will take place in Nairobi on Sunday, March 16th.
If the Junior Starlets succeed, they will achieve a historic milestone by becoming the first Kenyan team to qualify for back-to-back FIFA World Cups, having previously participated in the tournament.
The 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup is scheduled to take place in Morocco from October 17 to November 8, shortly before the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in the same country.
