Kenya lose 6-1 to US at U-17 Women's World Cup; China beat Samoa 7-0 and reach last 16

Kenya's Junior Starlets lost 6-1 to the United States in Group E of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Morocco on 22 October, FIFA's match data show. Maddie DiMaria scored four of the US goals, all before half-time.

Earlier the same day, on another pitch at the Mohammed VI Football Complex, China beat Samoa 7-0. China and the US have each won both their matches, have six points and are through to the round of 16 with one group game left. Kenya, beaten 3-0 by China in their opening match on 19 October, have no points.

DiMaria scored in the 5th and 22nd minutes. She then scored twice from the penalty spot, in the 35th minute and in the 2nd minute of first-half stoppage time, Concacaf, the football confederation for North and Central America and the Caribbean, reported. Loradana Paletta made it 5-0 in the 48th minute and Gianna Hanf scored the sixth US goal in the 3rd minute of stoppage time. Lindey Atieno replied for Kenya in the 5th minute of stoppage time.

It was the first meeting between the two countries at a U-17 Women's World Cup, US Soccer said before the tournament. FIFA recorded an attendance of 279. Kenya are coached by Mildred Cheche and the US by Ciara Crinion.

The US opened the group on 19 October with a 17-0 win over Samoa. DiMaria scored six goals in that match, a tally US Soccer listed as the most goals ever by a US Women's National Team player in any match. She has 10 goals from the two matches.

In China's win over Samoa, Fang Zhenzhu scored a 6th-minute penalty and Xu Yue scored in the 25th and 29th minutes. Cheng Wandi scored in the 39th minute and added a penalty in the 57th. Liu Yuxi scored in the 69th minute and Yang Lan in the 76th. China's head coach is Ma Xiaoxu.

In the opening match on 19 October, Xu Yue put China ahead against Kenya in the 12th minute and Xu Xiaotang scored in the 50th and 53rd minutes.

The tournament, which runs from 17 October to 7 November in and around Rabat, has 24 teams in six groups of four. The top two in each group and the four best third-placed teams go through to the round of 16. With China and the US on six points and Kenya able to reach three at most, Kenya can no longer finish in Group E's top two; their only way into the round of 16 is as one of the four best third-placed teams.

Kenya reached Morocco by beating South Africa 5-1 on aggregate in the final qualifying round, winning 2-0 in Pretoria and 3-1 at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi, The Standard reported in July.

The US and China first met at the 2025 U-17 Women's World Cup, where the US won 5-2. They meet again on 25 October for first place in Group E.

The group ends that day with Samoa v Kenya and China v US, both kicking off at 18:00 GMT (21:00 in Nairobi, 02:00 on 26 October in Beijing) at the Mohammed VI Football Complex.