Kenya’s Junior Starlets moved to the brink of a second FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup appearance after a commanding 2-0 away victory over hosts South Africa in the first leg of their final qualification round tie on Saturday.
Playing in front of a hostile crowd at the Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium in Pretoria, Kenya took control early through Faith Boke, who broke the deadlock inside the first 20 minutes.
South Africa pushed for an immediate response and were handed a golden opportunity when they won a penalty, but Kenyan goalkeeper Mishel Okoyo Ngono produced a crucial save to keep her side’s advantage intact.
Brenda Achieng doubled Kenya’s lead in the second half, rounding off a disciplined and composed performance on the road.
The result hands coach Mildred Cheche’s side a significant cushion heading into the return leg at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi on July 12.
Kenya now need only avoid a heavy defeat to book their ticket to Morocco, where the 2026 tournament will be staged from October 17 to November 7.
For Cheche, the achievement would mark a second World Cup qualification as head coach, having previously guided the Junior Starlets to their tournament debut in 2024 in the Dominican Republic.
That experience of navigating young players through the pressures of a qualification campaign could prove valuable as Kenya look to close out the tie on home soil.
South Africa, who eliminated Tanzania in the previous round, now face a difficult task of overturning the two-goal deficit in front of a Kenyan crowd.
The Junior Starlets’ defensive discipline throughout the qualifying campaign, including narrow away-goal progressions past Uganda and Namibia, has been a hallmark of their run to this stage.
A positive result in Nairobi would confirm Kenya’s return to the global stage and continue the momentum built under Cheche’s guidance since the team’s historic first appearance two years ago.
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