South Africa U17 women’s national team head coach Ntombifuthi Khumalo remains optimistic her side can overturn a two-goal deficit against Kenya despite Bantwana’s 2-0 defeat in the first leg of the final FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifier on Saturday.
Goals from Faith Boke and Brenda Achieng handed Kenya a valuable away victory at Lucas Moripe Stadium, leaving the Junior Starlets within touching distance of a second consecutive FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup appearance.
Also Read: 5/7/2026 Football Predictions: Today’s Betting Tips
Despite the setback, Khumalo insisted the tie is far from over, admitting her players struggled with nerves in the opening half before showing improvement after the break.
“We didn’t play well in the first half as per the plan, but we managed to talk to the girls because they were nervous. In the second half we tried to control the game,” Khumalo said.
The coach admitted the result was disappointing but drew encouragement from the number of chances her team created.
“The result is not good for us, but I was happy with the chances that we created. Now we need to work more on how to convert them. I saw a lot of improvement in this game, and we will go back, correct some mistakes and go to the second leg with confidence,” he added.
Also Read: 2026 World Cup: Mbappé Fires France into Quarter-finals
South Africa’s hopes suffered a major blow when captain Katlego Malebana failed to convert a first-half penalty, with Kenya goalkeeper Michelle Okoyo producing a crucial save to preserve her side’s lead.
Khumalo, however, believes playing away could ease the pressure on her players as they prepare for the decisive second leg at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium on July 12.
“I always say the difficult game is playing at home because you have a lot of pressure not to concede. But I am positive with my team that we will come back in the second leg,” he remarked.
The winner on aggregate will secure a place at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, scheduled for October 17 to November 7.
Also Read: 2026 World Cup: Morocco eliminates co-host Canada to reach Quarters
