Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Daily Nation
Published on 2024-02-04 12:38:27
Kenya’s Junior Starlets have progressed to the third round of the 2024 Fifa Girls Under-17 World Cup qualifiers without playing a match. Their second-round opponents, the Democratic Republic of Congo, withdrew from the competition, automatically granting Kenya a spot in the next round.
Under the guidance of Kenya international Mildred Cheche, the Junior Starlets were scheduled to face DRC in the first leg of the qualifiers in Kinshasa, with the second leg planned for February 9 in Nairobi. Unfortunately for DRC, they were unable to participate, leading to Kenya’s advancement.
The Kenyan junior team had been in residential training at Stadion Hotel and had been practicing at Kasarani Annex Stadium in Nairobi. As of Monday, 26 players had reported to training camp, showing their commitment and readiness for the qualifiers.
With the DRC’s withdrawal, Kenya now automatically qualifies for the third round after earning a bye in the first round of the qualifiers. In the next round, Kenya will face the winner between South Africa and Ethiopia.
In other qualifying matches, Djibouti, Senegal, and Liberia have also advanced to the third round after Equatorial Guinea, Libya, and Mali withdrew from the qualifiers before the first leg.
The remaining rounds of qualification for the World Cup will determine the three teams that will earn tickets to represent the continent at the final tournament in the Dominican Republic in October.
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s withdrawal from the qualifiers comes shortly after their senior men’s team, The Leopards, advanced to the semifinals at the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire, showcasing the mixed fortunes of the two national teams.
It’s worth noting that the Dominican Republic and New Zealand have already qualified for the World Cup as hosts, with New Zealand securing their spot after a 1-0 victory over Fiji in Pirae. The tournament has seen various champions over the years, with Spain holding the defending champion status after triumphs in 2018 and 2022.
Other past champions include DPR Korea, who won the inaugural tournament in 2008 and again in 2016, and Korea Republic and Japan, who claimed victory in 2010 and 2014, respectively.
The upcoming rounds of the qualifiers and the subsequent World Cup in the Dominican Republic promise to be an exciting and competitive event as these talented young teams compete for the ultimate prize in youth football.
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