Kenya’s U-17 women’s national team, the Junior Starlets, wrapped up their friendly tour of Morocco on a high, securing a 2-0 win in their second match played on Monday, April 7, 2025, at the Mohammed VI Complex in Rabat.

The young Kenyan side triumphed over the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup hosts, Morocco, thanks to late goals from Mitshel Waithera in the 80th minute and Elizabeth Ochaka in stoppage time.

This win came after a 1-1 draw in their opening friendly match against the same opponents. Defender Elizabeth Ochaka had scored Kenya’s only goal in that match, finding the back of the net in the 60th minute.

With the friendlies concluded, the Junior Starlets will now return home to intensify preparations for their crucial two-legged final qualification round against Cameroon. The first leg is scheduled for Sunday, April 20, 2025, at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi, with the return match set for Friday, April 25, 2025, at Stade Olembe in Yaoundé.

The winner of this high-stakes encounter will secure a coveted spot at the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, which will be held in Morocco from October 17 to November 8.

The Junior Starlets reached the final qualification round after a dominant 5-0 aggregate victory over Uganda, while Cameroon’s Young Lionesses advanced after thrashing Ethiopia 6-2.

Kenya is aiming to make history by qualifying for the U-17 FIFA Women’s World Cup for the second consecutive time, following their debut appearance in the Dominican Republic in December 2024.

Meanwhile, the senior women’s national team, the Harambee Starlets, are in Abidjan ahead of their second friendly against Ivory Coast, set for Tuesday, April 8 at 10 PM EAT.

The Starlets are using the friendlies to fine-tune their squad ahead of their third-round qualifier for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) against Gambia.

They suffered their first defeat of the year last Friday, falling 2-0 to Ivory Coast at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny. The loss ended a positive run that included a narrow 1-0 aggregate win over Tunisia in their last qualification tie.

The team will now aim to bounce back strongly and carry momentum into the clash against Gambia, as they seek to qualify for WAFCON for the first time since their historic appearance in 2016. The tournament will also be hosted in Morocco.

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