Cheche: We have a big task at the World Cup next month

Junior Starlets coach Mildred Omari Cheche instructs her charges against Ethiopia during their African Qualifiers FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2024 match at Ulinzi Complex in Nairobi on May 19,. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

Junior Starlets head coach Mildred Cheche is optimistic that her charges will give a good account of themselves in the 2024 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup set for Dominican Republic from October 16 to November 3.

Cheche, who was poised to name her final 23 member squad in Nairobi yesterday, says they have worked on all departments needed for good performance in the showpiece where her target is to go beyond the group stage.

Kenya is in Group C alongside Korea DPR, Mexico and England  and the coach is confident that they will soar over the rivals.

The team will depart the country today for further fine tuning at a pre-World Cup training in Spain before they head to the Dominican Republic.

"We are just not going to limit ourselves to the group stages, the first match- against England- will tell where we are and where we can go in this World Cup," Cheche told Standard Sports.

Against England set for October 17, Cheche says it will be one of the most important showdowns for them as the opening encounter will determine their trajectory in the tournament.

"We have to prove ourselves in this fixture, to give us confidence and motivation to carry on in the competition," she said.

Cheche admits the World Cup is a huge task ahead for the team, but is assuring that her squad will be up for it.

"We are doing all we can do to win the matches. And being our first time in the tournament, many are seeing us as underdogs who will be easily beaten, but this is our hidden strength. I take this as an advantage as no one knows our style of play," she said.

Cheche has sat down with her girls for lengthy hours at the Kasarani camp to analyse their group stage rivals and her finding is that their opponents Mexico, England and Korea DPR are all good but beatable.

"They have been taking part in the World Cup frequently, so I guess they have experience, but barriers are meant to be broken in football and that is our target- to defeat them."

While at the pre-World Cup training in Spain, Cheche will be fine tuning her girls tactical approaches to the game and this, she believes, will give them an upper hand in contesting for victories in the crunch World Cup fixtures.

While in Spain, they will also hold friendlies against formidable opponents who are world class in the sport to put her charges on the same level as the other international rivals they are set to clash with at the World Cup.

"The pre-World Cup training will give us the needed exposure for the big stage in the Dominican Republic. Playing in the World Cup is different from featuring in local or regional tournaments, you need a whole new level of thinking to crack it, and I believe Spain will prepare us just for that," she said.

So far, Cheche is happy with the level of improvement in her squad as her soldiers are all focused and determined to make it count in the Dominican Republic showdown.

Cheche is calling upon Kenyans to rally behind the team with motivations and inspirations to fuel the girls to go for glory at the World Cup.

"Now that we will be playing far from home, continue praying and supporting us to give us confidence in this competition," she said.

The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2024 pooling

Group A: Dominican Republic, Ecuador, New Zealand, Nigeria

Group B: Spain, USA, Korea Republic, Colombia

Group C: Korea DPR, Mexico, Kenya, England

Group D: Japan, Poland, Brazil, Zambia