Why Rising Starlets aren't out of the woods

Emilly Andayi (left) of Rising Starlets of Kenya in action with Annie Felicia of Cameroon during their African Qualifiers FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup 2024 return leg match at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi, on November 17, 2023. [File, Standard]

“Had you scored two or three goals, you would have succeeded, but with this single goal, you haven’t.”

This was Tanzania women’s national team head coach Bakari Shime’s warning shot to Kenyans after Rising Starlets' 1-0 win against his side in a 2026 Fifa Under-20 Women’s World Cup qualifier match on Saturday at Ulinzi Sports Complex.

From accusing Kenyans of deliberately hosting them on a 'substandard' pitch, to boldly pouring cold water on the Starlets victory, Shime did not mince his words in a pointer to a strong desire for revenge.

With their hosts seemingly aggrieved and yearning to prove a point, head coach Jackline Juma has her work cut out as she prepares her charges for the decisive away duel.

Juma revealed that they will do a critical analysis of the match in a bid to tie up loose ends in readiness for the make-or-break tie.

“We will get the analysis and make corrections from this game. We will also have to protect our goal and utilise our scoring chances,” Juma said.  

Juma is expected to push for improvement in all departments following their first leg show to stand a chance against the homegirls, who will not only be out to impress on their turf but also to snatch a place in the last eight.

Captain Fasila Adhiambo will be expected to step up and lead from the front and stabilise the midfield, which seemed not to have been at its best, save for a great display from Lornah Faith.

Goalkeeper Christine Adhiambo, shielded by the experienced trio of Diana Anyango, Elizabeth Ochaka, and Lorine Ilavonga, who were all in the 2024 Junior Starlets World Cup squad, and Sheryl Triza, kept a clean sheet.

Former Archbishop Njenga Girls High School forward Elizabeth Mideva, who was instrumental in Kenya’s second round campaign against Ethiopia, scored the winning goal.

However, the attackers must also up their game and utilise their chances lest they be punished.

The Tanzanite Queens will host Kenya on Saturday in the return leg of the third round at the Azam Complex in Dar es Salaam, with the winner advancing to the final qualification phase.

“This match is not over, it’s going to Chamazi (Azam Complex). A 1-0 lead is nothing to me, and so we will equalise that goal and register good results. We will be playing on a good surface; we will not take you (Kenyan team) to a bad field, though we know that you did this deliberately,” Shime said.

Shime will be looking to turn the tables and deny Kenya a chance to play Cameroon in the fourth round.

Cameroon is through since it is almost impossible for Botswana to recover from the 5-0 first-leg thrashing.