Teen Cranes brace for tough clash against Kenya in U-17 World Cup qualifiers

FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2025

African Qualifiers

Second Qualifying Round

First leg

Tomorrow, 4pm

Uganda v Kenya

Uganda’s Teen Cranes will need to deliver their absolute best performance to overcome a determined and experienced Kenyan Junior Starlets side when the two East African rivals clash on Saturday at Hamz Stadium, Nakivubo, in the first leg of their second qualifying round for the 2025 U-17 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The Teen Cranes cruised through the first qualifying round with ease, securing a dominant 18-1 aggregate victory over Namibia. Both legs were played at Nakivubo, a factor that should boost their confidence heading into this crucial encounter against Kenya.

However, Kenya poses a significantly tougher challenge than Namibia. The Junior Starlets are one of the five African nations that competed in the last U-17 World Cup finals in the Dominican Republic. In contrast, Uganda’s previous qualification campaign ended at this same stage after a narrow 2-1 aggregate defeat to Zambia.

To gain an advantage, Uganda must capitalize on Saturday’s home fixture and secure a strong result before traveling to Nairobi for the return leg on March 16. A cautionary tale for Uganda comes from their recent Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, where they won the first leg 2-0 against Ethiopia at Nakivubo, only to squander that lead in Addis Ababa. They lost the return leg 2-0 and were ultimately defeated 5-4 on penalties.

Uganda’s attacking firepower will be crucial in this high-stakes encounter. Agnes Nabukenya, who scored six goals in the first leg against Namibia, and Joan Namulindwa, who netted a hat-trick in the second leg, will be key players. Other standout performers like Shadia Nabirye, Rinah Ariho, Doreen Aujat, and Patience Asanyo will also need to step up to maintain Uganda’s offensive threat.

On the other hand, Kenya boasts a formidable squad, with most of their players from their World Cup debut recalled by head coach Mildred Cheche. Their attacking threats include Elizabeth Ochaka, Halima Imbachi, Brenda Achieng, and Anifa Bakari. Uganda’s defense will need to remain vigilant and tightly mark these players to neutralize their impact.

The winner on aggregate will advance to the third and final qualifying round, where they will discover their next opponent. The 2025 U-17 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be held in Morocco from October 17 to November 8, with five African nations, including hosts Morocco, set to represent the continent.