Poland and Japan punched their quarter-final tickets at Dominican Republic 2024, while Kenya made history with a first ever World Cup win.
Kenya will forever remember the day as well, as they defeated Mexico for a first ever win in any World Cup, men’s or women’s, while Korea DPR continued to show their class in a dominating performance against England to win Group C.
On a still Caribbean evening, some 12,000 kilometres from home, Kenya made history. First half strikes from Valerie Nekesa and Lornah Faith were the nation’s first at any FIFA tournament, male or female.
They also led to the nation’s first win, the 2-1 result seeing them leapfrog the evening’s combatants Mexico into third in the group.
The first of those history-making strikes came on the quarter hour as a lofted ball from deep found Joan Ogola who raced free down the left before squaring for an unmarked Nekesa who tucked home from close range.
Kenya doubled the lead late in the opening term with Faith doing well to control a lofted ball and then laser a left-footed effort past Camila Vazquez.
Mexico, after a VS review, grabbed a stoppage-time consolation from the spot via Alexa Soto.
Kenya coach Mildred Cheche said after the game: “It feels great, I’m so happy for the girls because they gave it their all and at the end they got a win.
“I want to say thank you very much to all the Kenyan fans who were watching at 2am and now our motivation is to stay together, keep training and try to qualify for the next World Cup.”
