U20 Starlets lose to U13 Stars in Jordan prep

The national women’s Under 20 team lost 2-1 to their Under 13 male counterparts in a build up friendly match held at the Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos on Wednesday.

The weakened Junior Starlets side faced their juniors without seven of their players who were in the starting line-up when they mauled Botswana 7-1 in the preliminary round of the 2018 U20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.

The squad is set to take part in a two-legged friendly match against the Jordan U20 team on August 29 and 31.

The matches are meant to prepare the Junior Starlets for their second round of 2018 women World Cup Qualifier against Ethiopia in mid September this year.

“Seven players of the first eleven are in Uganda for the FEASSSA games, so it was important for us to see how we can play without them,” Football Kenya Federation (FKF) vice-president and Head of Women Football Doris Petra said.

Coach Ann Aluoch concurred with her boss after the loss at the hands of the U13 squad fresh from winning the Southampton Cup Tournament in England. She emphasized the side was only an experimental one.

“This was just a friendly meant to strengthen the team but I can say the loss was due to missing key players.”

Most Starlets players are currently in Gulu, Northern Uganda representing their respective schools at the 2017 East Africa Ball games.

The team is camping in Machakos and will depart for Jordan on August 27.