News Focus
- Junior Starlets placed in Group A alongside hosts Tanzania, Somalia and Sudan
- The regional tournament runs from June 13-23 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
- Kenya face a busy period with FIFA U17 World Cup qualifiers against Uganda on May 22 and May 30
- Coach Mildred Cheche will use the championship to test new players including Daisy Adongo and Grace Wangari
- Group B features Uganda, South Sudan and Djibouti
Kenya’s Junior Starlets have received a challenging draw for the upcoming CECAFA U17 Women’s Championship. The team will compete in Group A against host nation Tanzania, plus Somalia and Sudan.
The competition takes place in Tanzania from June 13 to June 23. It offers young female footballers from East Africa an important chance to develop their skills. The event comes just weeks before the senior Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in July.
The draw creates an exciting East African derby in the group stages. The Junior Starlets must overcome the difficulty of playing against Tanzania on their home ground. Coach Mildred Cheche will prepare her team to face different tactical styles from Somalia and Sudan.
The Kenyan youth team currently faces a very busy schedule. They are preparing for two important FIFA U17 World Cup qualification matches against Uganda. The first leg takes place on May 22, with the return match on May 30.
The CECAFA tournament will serve different purposes depending on the Uganda results. If Kenya advance, it will act as a preparation camp for the final World Cup qualification rounds. If not, it will help integrate new players into the national team. These new faces include Daisy Adongo, Grace Wangari and Noelina Akuku.
Group B contains three teams: Uganda, South Sudan and Djibouti. The best teams from each group will move forward to the knockout stages of the competition.
The Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) plans to announce the full match schedule and television details soon. This information will include kick-off times and venues in Dar es Salaam.