After making history by securing their first World Cup qualification, Junior Starlets head coach Mildred Cheche is thinking big.

She believes her team is capable of delivering a remarkable performance at the Fifa Under-17 World Cup in the Dominican Republic this October.

Speaking exclusively on the Milele Uwanjani Sports Show on Milele FM, Cheche expressed confidence in her team’s ability to compete on the global stage and potentially return home with something special that will make the country proud.

“It is possible to surprise the world through great performances because we have a huge group of players who are capable of performing well at that stage. We have players who have gotten the chance to play in different tournaments outside the country and that will be of immense help in terms of international exposure and also, the players have a great zeal to fight for the country. With this, I believe we can do something good. We also have a dedicated and able technical bench and with the ambitious players then we are able to achieve another milestone as a team,” Cheche averred.

Junior Starlets are in Group C of the tournament alongside two-time champions Korea DPR, 2018 finalists Mexico, and England, who reached the semifinals in 2018. Despite the daunting group, Cheche remains optimistic.

“All the Groups are tough but for us it is fair. Of course, it is obvious to note that England, Mexico and Korea DPR are experienced in the tournaments compared to us Kenya who are going there for the first time but it is not something to scare us. We are ready for the task ahead.”

Junior Starlets are scheduled to report to their local camp in Nairobi in mid-August for a 22-day training period before heading to Spain for another 20-day camp.

They will then travel to the Dominican Republic.

The team will kick off their World Cup campaign against England on October 17 at the Cibao Universitario Stadium in Santiago de los Caballeros.

“For the U-17 tournament, any team can win. Unlike senior teams, the margins of experience are smaller at this level. While some teams have well-established structures, we are not approaching the World Cup as underdogs. We are going as a formidable force, and we will give our all on the pitch to achieve the desired results.”