Kenya, Uganda renew rivalry in high-stakes CECAFA U-17 semi-final
Reading Time: 3min | Sun. 21.06.26. | 07:37
Kenya will be looking to avenge their 2019 defeat and move one step closer to lifting their first CECAFA U-17 Women's Championship title
Kenya's U-17 women's national team, the Junior Starlets, will be in action on Sunday, June 21, when they take on defending champions Uganda in the first semi-final of the ongoing CECAFA U-17 Women's Championship at KMC Stadium.
The highly anticipated encounter presents Kenya with an opportunity to extend their impressive unbeaten run in the tournament while also seeking revenge for a defeat suffered against the Teen Cranes during the inaugural edition of the competition.
Under the guidance of head coach Mildred Cheche, the Junior Starlets have enjoyed a remarkable campaign, remaining unbeaten throughout the group stage.
Kenya began their tournament with convincing victories over Somalia and Sudan before settling for a 1-1 draw against hosts Tanzania's Serengeti Girls.
The semi-final clash will mark only the second meeting between Kenya and Uganda in the history of the CECAFA U-17 Women's Championship.
Their first encounter came during the inaugural tournament held in Uganda in 2019, when goals from Fauzia Najjemba and Juliet Nalukenge inspired the hosts to a 2-0 victory in the decisive round-robin fixture.
The result saw Uganda crowned champions while Kenya finished as runners-up.
Overall, the two nations have met five times at this level. Four of those encounters came in FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup qualifiers, where Kenya has enjoyed the upper hand.
The Junior Starlets secured impressive 2-0 and 3-0 victories in 2025 before registering a goalless draw and a 1-1 stalemate in 2026.
Kenya subsequently advanced to the final qualifying round, where they are set to face South Africa for a place at the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.
On their road to the semi-finals, Kenya thrashed Sudan 16-0 and Somalia 6-0 before drawing with Tanzania.
However, the result against Sudan was later nullified following a ruling by tournament officials regarding the abandoned match involving the Sudanese side.
Kenya were subsequently awarded a 3-0 win and maximum points, a decision that saw the Junior Starlets finish second in Group A.
Uganda, meanwhile, have enjoyed a flawless run to the last four.
The defending champions hammered Djibouti 13-0, defeated Zanzibar 3-0, and wrapped up their group-stage campaign with a convincing 4-0 victory over South Sudan to finish top of Group B with a perfect nine points.
With a place in the final at stake, both sides will be eager to maintain their impressive form.
Kenya will be looking to avenge their 2019 defeat and move one step closer to lifting their first CECAFA U-17 Women's Championship title, while Uganda will be determined to keep their title defence on course.
The winner of the 12:30 p.m. showdown will face either hosts Tanzania or South Sudan, who meet in the second semi-final, as the tournament edges closer to its climax.