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Uganda U17 Women’s Coach Botes Confident Ahead of FIFA World Cup Qualifier Against Kenya
The Uganda U17 Women’s National Team, fondly known as the Teen Cranes, is set to host their Kenyan counterparts on Saturday, 8th March 2025, at the Hamz Stadium, Nakivubo. This encounter marks the second round of the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Qualifiers.
Ahead of this fixture, coaches from both teams addressed members of the media at a press conference held at the FUFA Complex in Mengo, offering insights into their preparations and expectations for the game.
Uganda’s head coach Sheryl Botes reflected on the team’s preparation and strategic approach for the crucial fixture against Kenya.
“We had eight days to prepare the team. From what we have done so far, we are confident we can give Kenya a run for their money,” she asserted.
Recognising the strength of the opposition, she added, “They are a formidable team that has previously participated in the World Cup. They bring a lot of experience and skill, so I wouldn’t use the same team that played against Namibia.”
The coach also stressed the importance of securing a home victory. “One of our key areas of focus is to get the win at home.”
Uganda U17 Women’s captain – Agnes Nabukenya
“Playing on the National Senior team has helped me gain endurance, learn new tactics and this enables me to provide able leadership to my team. We have been prepared well to get the win against Kenya. The team is ready to show everything that has been learnt in camp. We know expectations are high following our big win over two legs against Namibia but the players in camp are grounded. Playing infront of our fans gives us extra motivation to search for good results in the first leg and plan later for the return match”
The head coach of the Kenyan U17 team Mildred Cheche expressed confidence in her squad’s readiness for the challenge ahead.
“We are not worried. We are prepared. Football is a game of 90 minutes, and a lot can happen within that time,” she stated.
She also highlighted the team’s developmental structure, noting the integration of younger players into the squad.
“We have players from the U15 team who have graduated to the U17 level to fill the gaps left by those who moved up to the U20 team.”
Acknowledging Uganda’s impressive performance in the previous round, she admitted,
“We expect challenging opposition. Looking at the previous game Uganda played against Namibia, it shows they are well-organised.”
She also extended her respect to the Uganda head coach, saying, “I have much respect for Coach Botes.”
Kenya U17 Women’s captain – Halima Imbachi
“We know that it is a derby match between these two countries. It is a very big day for us and we know it will not be easy. We are ready to go and face Uganda”
Uganda advanced to this stage in emphatic fashion, overpowering Namibia with a resounding 18-1 aggregate victory in the first round. This dominant performance has positioned the Teen Cranes as strong contenders in the qualifiers.
The winner of the Uganda vs Kenya tie will proceed to the third round, where they will face either Ethiopia or Cameroon in their quest for a place at the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Source. Fufa