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Mildred Cheche’s team enters the crucial match with a strong 2-0 lead from the first leg in Pretoria, putting them close to another historic encounter.

A victory, a tie, or even a close one-goal loss in Nairobi could be sufficient for Kenya to return to the international scene following their first participation in the 2024 finals in the Dominican Republic.

The World Cup will take place from October 17 to November 7 in Morocco, and the Junior Starlets are aware that they are now just 90 minutes away from continuing their impressive journey as the sole Kenyan national football team to have participated in a World Cup.

The acting CEO of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), Dennis Gicheru, has called on supporters to come out in big numbers and support the team as the Starlets aim to finish the task on their home ground.

“Now we are returning for the last stage. I believe it’s crucial for us to be well-prepared. We are bringing together all the fans to come on Sunday and back the team. This is the final stage before we head to the U-17 World Cup in Morocco later this year,” said Gicheru.

Gicheru mentioned that the team’s involvement in the CECAFA U-17 Women’s Championship in Tanzania was part of a planned strategy to prepare for the South Africa match, providing the players with important game experience and refining their tactics before the final qualifying stage.

“We recently took part in the CECAFA tournament. We are considering this tournament as a preparation for this stage of the qualifiers. So I believe we have provided them with adequate support,” he added. The Starlets secured a strong position in the first leg with a disciplined and efficient performance in Pretoria.

Having absorbed the pressure in the initial stages, Kenya scored in the second half via Faith Boke, who seized on a through pass from Linda Weey and calmly placed the ball into the net.

Goalkeeper Mitchell Okoyo created one of the most memorable moments of the match when she stopped a South African penalty, keeping Kenya’s lead intact, while Brenda Achieng took advantage of Weey’s attempt to extend the lead. Cheche commended her team for managing the pressure of playing away from home and following the game strategy.

“An away victory is the first step in qualifying for the World Cup. The girls performed exceptionally well. They were well-prepared and managed to deliver under the pressure of playing away,” said Cheche.

What worked for us was that we managed to play our game. The girls remained calm and made the most of the opportunities that came their way.

That calmness will be needed once more on Sunday as Kenya aim to prevent any last-minute excitement and finish the task in front of their local supporters.

“For the Junior Starlets, the key is to safeguard the advantage gained in the first leg at Nyayo and secure their return to Morocco,” the coach concluded.