Teen Cranes lose 2-0 to Kenya in U-17 qualifier, face tough return leg

U-17 FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifiers 2025
Second Qualifying Round
First leg
Saturday 
Uganda 0 Kenya 2
Sunday
Second leg 
Kenya v Uganda 
Aggregate (Kenya 2-0 Uganda)

Uganda’s Teen Cranes paid the price for their inexperience on Saturday, suffering a 2-0 defeat to Kenya’s Junior Starlets in the first leg of their U-17 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifier at Hamz Stadium, Nakivubo.

The Teen Cranes struggled throughout the match, failing to create meaningful chances and succumbing to defensive errors that allowed Kenya to secure a comfortable victory.

Kenya’s dominance was hardly surprising, given their prior experience at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic. Head coach Mildred Cheche fielded a squad featuring seven players who had faced teams like England, Korea Republic, and Mexico, giving the Junior Starlets a significant edge over the less-experienced Ugandan side.

Uganda’s 18-1 aggregate win over Namibia in the first qualifying round had raised hopes among fans, but Namibia’s lack of competitiveness proved insufficient preparation for a team of Kenya’s caliber.

From the start, Kenya dictated the pace of the game, showcasing superior physicality, aggression, and speed. They exploited Uganda’s defensive weaknesses, with Edinah Nasipondwi and Joan Ogola scoring from counterattacks in the first half to secure the win.

With a 2-0 advantage from the away leg, Kenya is now in a strong position heading into Sunday’s return leg in Nairobi. Uganda faces an uphill battle to overturn the deficit and keep their World Cup qualifying hopes alive.

Teen Cranes coach Sheryl Botes attributed the loss to her team’s lack of exposure, which led to nervousness and costly errors.

"The more games we play, the more the girls will grow mentally, physically, and gain experience. We had a game plan, but pressure caused the players to lose focus—something that comes with inexperience," Botes explained.

Despite the setback, Botes remains optimistic and vowed to fight back in the second leg.

"We are not giving up. We now understand Kenya’s style of play and how to counter them. It’s not over yet, and we will give everything in Nairobi," she asserted.

Meanwhile, Kenyan coach Mildred Cheche expressed satisfaction with her team’s performance but warned against complacency.

"It feels good to win away from home, but we can’t assume the tie is over. We need to maintain a clean sheet in the second leg to secure qualification," she said.