The Uganda Cubs secured a convincing 3-0 win over a 10-man Tanzania in their second Group B match at the ongoing TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
After a heavy 5-0 defeat to hosts Morocco in their opener, Uganda showed a marked improvement at the El Bachir Stadium in Mohammedia.
Both teams had opportunities in the first half, but despite Tanzania’s dominance in possession, they were unable to convert their chances, with four shots on goal compared to Uganda’s ten.
The breakthrough came in the 64th minute when Simon Wanyama gave Uganda the lead, shortly after Tanzania’s Hussein Ally Mbegu was sent off in the 54th minute following a foul. The red card proved costly for the Tanzanians, as the Cubs continued to press forward.
Uganda Cubs doubled their lead in the 85th minute, with Richard Okello taking advantage of space to fire a shot past Tanzania’s goalkeeper, Abrahman Nassoro.
In the second minute of added time, Uganda was awarded a penalty, and James Bogere calmly slotted the ball home, sending Nassoro the wrong way to seal the 3-0 victory.
Uganda Cubs coach, Brian Ssenyondo, expressed his satisfaction with the team’s response following their loss to Morocco. “We were very attacking today, and now we must focus on preparing for the match against Zambia,” said Ssenyondo.
The win significantly boosts Uganda Cubs’ chances of advancing to the FIFA U-17 World Cup. On Friday, Somalia, who lost 3-0 to Tunisia in their opening match, will face The Gambia in a Group C encounter.
The top 10 teams from the U-17 AFCON will secure a spot in the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, representing CAF.
