Kenya’s Junior Starlets endured a tough lesson at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after suffering a 6-1 defeat to the United States in their second Group E match at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat, Morocco, on Thursday.
The result marked Kenya’s heaviest defeat at the tournament and exposed the gap in quality between the two sides, with the Americans demonstrating their attacking strength throughout the contest.
Despite the loss, Kenya had a milestone to celebrate after Lindey Weey Atieno scored their first goal of the tournament. The Junior Starlets, however, remain without a point after two matches, having opened their campaign with a 3-0 defeat to China.
Maddie DiMaria was the standout performer for the United States, scoring four goals in the first half to put the match beyond Kenya’s reach.
She opened the scoring in the fifth minute before doubling the advantage in the 22nd minute with a left-footed strike. The forward then converted penalties in the 35th minute and first-half stoppage time to complete her hat-trick and take her tally to four goals against Kenya.
DiMaria had scored six times in the USA’s emphatic 17-0 victory over Samoa in their opening match, taking her tournament total to 10 goals in just two games.
The Americans continued their dominance after the break, with Loradana Paletta extending the lead in the 48th minute following an impressive individual run.
The USA thought they had scored again in the 57th minute, but the goal was ruled out after a review found a foul on Kenyan goalkeeper Brenda Awuor.
Goalkeeper Mishel Okoyo made several interventions under sustained pressure, but Kenya struggled to contain the Americans’ movement and attacking combinations.
Gianna Hanf added the sixth goal deep into stoppage time, only for Atieno to provide a late consolation for Kenya moments later.
Atieno capitalized on a turnover before spotting the goalkeeper off her line and sending a long-range effort into the net, giving the Junior Starlets a positive moment amid a difficult evening.
Kenya have now been eliminated from contention for the knockout stage after losing their opening two matches. Their final Group E fixture against Samoa on Sunday offers an opportunity to finish the campaign on a stronger note.
Although the defeat highlighted areas requiring improvement, Atieno’s goal gave the Kenyan side a first scoring moment in Morocco and a reminder of the experience the young team can take into future international competitions.
