Faith Wasike in action at a past match //Photo courtesy
A few days after coach Mildred Odemba named the provisional squad for the upcoming U17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers, there has been uproar and concern over the absence of Butere Girls’ lethal attacking midfielder Lorna Faith Wasike.
Wasike played a key role in helping the U17 Junior Starlets qualify for the 2024 World Cup, making history as the first Kenyan to win a FIFA Player of the Match award in their encounter against Mexico.
Another standout player from last year, Archbishop Njenga’s prolific striker and Junior Starlets prospect Marion Serenge, is also missing from the 51-player provisional squad named by Odemba. But why were they left out?
Speaking to media outlets about the matter, Coach Odemba explained that adjustments have been made to the Junior National Teams, with some players who featured in the World Cup now being integrated into the U20 squad, including Wasike and Serenge.
“The squad that qualified for the last World Cup has largely moved on, with players like Lorna Faith, Marion Serenge, and Diana Anyango now part of the U20 team,” she said.
Coach Odemba will now be tasked with preparing and sharpening the new additions to the squad as they gear up to face Uganda in the U17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers. The encounter will be contested over two legs, with the first match scheduled between March 7 and 9, 2025, and the return leg set for March 14 to 16, 2025. Kenyan football fans now eagerly await the final squad selection from the 51-player provisional list.
Some notable names in the provisional squad include Butere Girls’ captain Halima Imbachi and her versatile teammate Patience Asiko. Kobala Secondary shot-stopper Scovia Awour has also earned a call-up, alongside Ulinzi Starlets’ Velma Auma Abwire, Madira Girls’ Mitchell Achieng, Ibubi’s Ann Wavinya and Pelham Memorial (New York, USA) goal keeper Malia Rose Nyabera.
Other standout selections include Ulinzi Starlets defender Lorine Ilavonga, Lwak Girls’ midfielder Gaudancia Maloba and Butere Girls’ talented striker Joy Angela Valencia, all of whom impressed Coach Odemba and secured their places in the Junior Starlets squad.
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