The Uganda Cubs were edged 2-1 by Zambia in their final Group A game at the U17 Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday evening in Morocco.
It was a cruel result for Brian Ssenyondo’s side, who put on a spirited performance and dominated large spells of the game, but failed to convert their chances.
Kevin Mulenga opened the scoring for Zambia in the 20th minute, handing them a 1-0 lead at the break.
Right after the restart, Elvis Torach brought Uganda level with a well-taken finish in the 49th minute.
From then on, it was all Uganda, but the finishing touch deserted them when it mattered most.
Zambia had a golden chance to retake the lead in the 72nd minute after being awarded a penalty, but Billy Daka couldn’t convert from the spot.
However, he made amends in the 86th minute, slotting home the winner that sent Zambia into the quarterfinals and secured them a ticket to the 2025 U17 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Uganda finished third in Group A with three points, behind Morocco and Zambia who both ended on seven points, the hosts topping the group on goal difference.
Despite the defeat, the Cubs are not out just yet. A third-place finish keeps their World Cup hopes alive, as they now enter a playoff round to determine the remaining two spots for Qatar.
Uganda will face the third-placed team from Group C, which is currently led by Tunisia and Senegal (both on 4 points), followed by The Gambia (3 pts) and Somalia (0 pts).
Final Group C matches will be played on Monday, with Tunisia facing The Gambia and Senegal taking on Somalia.
Qualified so far:
- Group A: Morocco, Zambia
- Group B: Burkina Faso
- Group D: Mali
Two more World Cup tickets are up for grabs through the playoffs, and the Cubs are still in the hunt to make Ugandan football history.
