Kenya's Junior Starlets exit the U-17 World Cup with a first and a bigger target

Kenya’s Junior Starlets are out of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after a 3-1 loss to Japan in the Round of 16 on Thursday, October 29. Head coach Mildred Cheche said she is proud of her players and has already set a new objective.

According to SportPesa Blog, this was the first time the Junior Starlets had reached the Round of 16. Their goal coming into the tournament was to get beyond the group stage. They did.

Kenya took the lead in the 29th minute. Japan equalized in the 36th. After the break, Japan took control, scoring in the 59th minute and again in the 75th to win 3-1 and move into the quarter-finals.

Cheche was honest about where it turned. “We had a good game, especially in the first half. The belief was there, and the team was compact. I think the girls tried their level best. In the second half, most of them got a bit tired, and we also made a few mistakes around the box which Japan utilised,” she said.

She was just as clear about the bigger picture. “So far, I am really proud of the girls for how far they have come. It has not been easy, but they have given their best.”

And on the target: “Our main objective coming into this tournament was to go beyond the group stage, which we did. So I must commend the girls and the technical bench because we achieved our objective.”

Cheche has already moved the goalposts. “Now we have to aim even higher so that once we are able to come back here, we should be able to get to the quarter-finals or the semi-finals. A new objective has been set. We have to try and qualify again next year and push even further when we qualify,” she said.

Her take

This is what a come up actually looks like. Not a fairy tale, but a squad that set a goal, hit it, and led a technically gifted Japanese side before the second half got away from them. Their coach named the problem (tired legs and mistakes around the box) without dressing it up, and that kind of clarity is how programs grow. Keep an eye on the Junior Starlets the next time they qualify. Their coach has already said what comes next: the quarter-finals or the semi-finals.