RECORD BREAKERS! Junior Starlets seal historic place at FIFA U17 World Cup

What was always thought to be possible is finally official.

Kenya's U17 women's team - Junior Starlets - are on the plane to this year's FIFA U17 Women's World Cup.

This comes after the team, led by head coach Mildred Cheche, got past fellow East African rivals Burundi in the final round of qualifiers played at a packed Ulinzi Sports Complex, Nairobi on Sunday afternoon.

The Kenyan ladies, carrying with them the hopes and expectations of an entire nation, came into the second leg with a healthy 3-0 lead, and they made sure to stamp their place in a destination never treaded upon by a Kenyan football side before, seeing off their opponents 2-0 to make it a 5-0 annihilation on aggregate.

Initially thought to be a contest -at least by the players who rarely shown to let go the slightest of opportunities- the final hurdle looked less of a test, but a party.

Match Report

The tie, if not over, was dead in the water in the first twenty minutes, as Marion Serenge and Valerie Nekesa both got in the scoresheet to write their names in Kenya's football folklore.

Serenge, who was also on target in the first-leg away in Ethiopia, capitalized off an error from Burundi goalkeeper Solange Marinakiza to tap home after 16 minutes, setting up the cue for what was going to be a largely entertaining afternoon.

Not that the Kenyan crowd needed to be lifted off their seats, as they had for the minutes preceding the opener been treated to two chances, Lorna Faith shooting wide in the first minute before the only change of the game - Susan Akoth - shooting over the bar.

And after a few breakaways for the Kenyan ladies ruled out for offside, striker Valerie Nekesa finally got her opportunity, feeding off a quick break to wriggle her way past the Burundi backline to slot past Marinakiza. Cue delirium.

From a Kenyan perspective, the talent on show, was special.

There was Rebecca Odato marshalling the midfield with pure grit, Akoth and Lorna bursting through the channels, and a resolute defense that hadn't conceded a goal all through the qualifiers.

The latter was needed in high frequency in a rather tense second-half, as Burundi, on multiple instances threatened to get past keeper Velma Abwire to no success.

Skippered by the lanky figure of Elizabeth Ochaka, there was not going to be a way through the Kenyan defense, nor the slightest chance to dim the nation's lights, which had shone through the qualifying rounds - wins over DR Congo and Ethiopia.

At full time, the excitement was visible - not only from the players who hurdled at the center of the pitch despite looking leggy to even skip in celebration, but from the dignitaries who had gathered around to witness history.

Destination Dominican Republic then!