- AFCON U17 | Group A
- Zambia 2-1 Uganda
In a dramatic and emotionally charged evening at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Morocco, Uganda’s U17 national football team, the Cubs saw their hopes of direct qualification to the FIFA U17 World Cup come crashing down after a narrow 2-1 defeat to Zambia in their final Group A match of the CAF U17 Africa Cup of Nations.
The stakes couldn’t have been higher. A win would have secured Uganda a place in the quarterfinals and an automatic ticket to the World Cup in Qatar. But football, ever so cruel, had other plans.
The Cubs began the match with intent and energy, pressing high and creating several scoring chances. James Bogere, Isima Magala, and Simon Wanyama looked sharp early on, testing the Zambian defense within the opening ten minutes. But for all their attacking verve, they couldn’t find a way past Zambia’s resilient goalkeeper, Rogers Simumba.
Against the run of play, disaster struck in the 20th minute. Kelvin Mulenga Chipelu capitalized on a rare Zambian foray into Uganda’s half, striking a blow that set the tone for a tense evening.
Still, Uganda fought back. Early in the second half, right back Elvis Torach delivered a moment of brilliance. Controlling a long ball from Bogere, Torach unleashed a thunderous strike to level the score in the 49th minute, breathing life back into Uganda’s campaign.
Coach Brian Ssenyondo’s young side pushed forward in search of a winner, throwing everything they had at their opponents. But as the minutes ticked down, the balance tilted once again.
Substitute Billy Daka, who had earlier missed a penalty thanks to a fine save by Uganda’s Adrian Mukwanga found redemption in the 84th minute. His deflected shot wrong-footed the defense and rolled into the net, breaking Ugandan hearts and sealing Zambia’s passage to the quarterfinals.
With the loss, Uganda slipped to third place in Group A, missing out on the top two spots that guarantee direct qualification to the World Cup. Morocco, dominant throughout the group stage, topped the group with a 3-0 win over Tanzania who exited the tournament with just one point.
Now, the Cubs must navigate a high-stakes playoff match against the third-placed team from Group C. It’s their last chance to keep the World Cup dream alive, a path much harder and more uncertain than they had hoped for.
But if Sunday’s performance showed anything, it’s that this Ugandan team has spirit, talent and fight. Whether that will be enough to carry them through the playoffs remains to be seen. For now, the Cubs must believe the dream is not over, just deferred.
