Rising Starlets eliminate Angola to advance in FIFA U20 qualifiers
By Joel Sang, October 14, 2023
Dominant Rising Starlets advanced to the third round of the FIFA U20 qualification after a 4-0 victory over Angola on Saturday, October 14, 2023, in Luanda.
In the first leg, Kenya managed to post a healthy 6-1 victory at Nyayo Stadium, taking a huge advantage into the second leg.
Meanwhile, Valerie Nekesa scored the opening goal in the sixth minute for Kenya in a match that they ended up totally dominating in the first half.
Starlets scored the second one in the 36th minute, and this time around, it was Rebecca Kwoba who was on target.
Angola would have scored to deny Kenya a clean sheet, but Jesus William wasted a very open chance when she could not beat Starlets’ goalkeeper Scovia Awuor at close range.
Chances, more goals
There was another chance wasted by the hosts when the strikers could not connect to a precise low cross delivered by Maria Chitupi.
Ann Arusi scored the third for Kenya in the 56th minute. Although Angola looked more ambitious in the opening stages of the second half, they were unable to turn their possession into goals.
Rifina Pedro was left disappointed after she wasted another chance for Angola in the 72nd minute. She could not find the target, although she was found with a pinpoint cross in the penalty area.
Starlets scored the fourth in added time when Charity Midewa struck to condemn the Southern Africans to a 10-1 aggregate loss.
With the win, Kenya advance to the next round of qualifiers and will play Cameroon. The Indomitable Lionesses managed a 2-1 win in the first leg before a 4-1 aggregate victory over Botswana.
With Kenya set to face the Central Africans, it will be another big moment for head coach Beldine Odemba. Odemba was in charge when the senior women’s side defeated Cameroon in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualification.
The match with the junior side offers the Kenyan tactician another chance to try and outshine the African giants.