End of the road as Rising Starlets crash out of World Cup ticket race

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Rising Starlets' hunt for a ticket to the 2026 Fifa Under-20 Women’s World Cup ended in an anti-climax as they fell 3-1 to neighbours Tanzania in post-match penalties at the Azam Complex in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on Saturday.

Failure to secure a healthy lead at home during the first leg haunted the Kenyans, who needed a draw of any kind going into the do-or-die clash. Though they had won at home, a solitary goal was not good enough to cushion them from the Tanzanite Queens, who were keen to avenge their defeat and book their slot in the last eight.

Coach Jackline Juma made two changes to her first 11, starting Butere Girls High School defender Patience Asiko and Kenya Police Bullets forward Emily Morang'a who had started on the bench at Ulinzi Sports Complex.

Asiko replaced Gideon Starlets Sheryl Triza in defence while Morang'a started in place of St Joseph’s Girls High School midfielder Pearl Olesi in a move aimed at strengthening offensive play.

Morang’a was instrumental in the first leg with her partnership with Ulinzi Starlets’ Elizabeth Mideva upfront leading to the 1-0 victory.  Goalkeeper Christine Adhiambo maintained her spot with the duo of Diana Anyango, Elizabeth Ochaka and Ulinzi Starlets’ Lorine Ilavonga starting again in defence.

Captain Fasila Adhiambo, Lorna Faith and Police Bullets’ Vidah Akeyo, who were impressive in the first leg, retained their spots in the starting lineup, with Valerie Nekesa and Mideva completing the starters in attack. 

Just like their first-leg duel in Nairobi, the match was tightly contested, with both sides playing to a barren draw in the first half.

Having left home with the aim of protecting their lead and also scoring goals, the Kenyans fought on, but their efforts were thwarted by a defiant Tanzanite backline determined to maintain a clean sheet. In offence both sides kept pushing but were unable to break the opponents' defence, with both goalkeepers making a couple of saves in both halves.

Tanzania’s lethal striker Winfrida Gerald scored the only goal of the clash a few minutes into the second half from the spot to draw level 1-1.

With very high stakes and scores at level, the two sides fought with urgency in a bid to break the tie. However, they failed in every attempt, with the duel ending in a 1-1 aggregate score, setting the stage for the decisive spot kicks.

However, the Kenyans who seemed unprepared for the shootout fumbled, losing three out penalties as Tanzania converted three to carry the day.

Tanzania will face Cameroon in the fourth round of the qualifiers. Cameroon dismissed Botswana 5-1 on aggregate to advance to the final round. Four teams will represent the continent at the global event set for September 5 to 27 in Poland.