Familiar names feature prominently as head coach Jackline Juma named a 23-strong Rising Starlets squad for Saturday’s Fifa Under-20 Women’s World Cup qualifier against Tanzania at the Ulinzi Sports Complex.
Juma named the squad following three weeks of intensive training camp, largely retaining the core that recently edged Ethiopia.
The selection reflects the technical bench’s faith in continuity and team chemistry, while a handful of fresh faces add depth and competition as the challenge intensifies.
“Our training has been uptight and we have all levelled up,” said Ilavonga.
Forward Valarie Nekesa echoed the belief within the squad, underlining Kenya’s attacking intent.
“We will play our own style, Elizabeth Mideva and I,” said Nekesa.
The squad includes familiar faces returning to the national setup, with Jenevive Mithel back after previously featuring for Kenya’s U17 side, bringing valuable international experience.
There are also maiden U20 call-ups for Hilder Natecho and Pauline Nalima after impressive displays in camp, additions that continue to strengthen depth within the Rising Starlets project.
Preparations were sharpened by two contrasting friendly matches — a 2-0 loss to Highway Secondary that exposed areas needing refinement, followed by a convincing 5-2 win over Mang’u High School that highlighted the team’s attacking potential.
Beyond the scorelines, the friendlies allowed the technical bench to test combinations, fine-tune tactics and reinforce cohesion within the squad.
The Rising Starlets will host Tanzania in the first leg on February 7 at the Ulinzi Sports Complex before travelling for the return fixture on February 14 at the Azam Complex in Dar es Salaam, targeting a positive home result to keep their FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup qualification hopes on track.
Rising Starlets head coach Jackline Juma/HANDOUT
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