Uganda U17 head coach Brian Ssenyondo praised his young side for their courage and resilience after earning the country’s first-ever FIFA U17 World Cup point in a 1–1 draw against Chile at Aspire Zone in Doha.
Speaking after the game, Ssenyondo said the result reflected the team’s mental strength and growth since their opening loss to Canada.
“It shows resilience, it shows a team that has character — a team that can come back from a goal down and from a painful loss against Canada,” Ssenyondo said. “It’s not the result we wanted because we wanted three points, but I believe we had a better team throughout the 90 minutes.”
The Cubs fell behind late in the first half but fought back through substitute Ssozi Derick, whose stoppage-time equalizer sealed a famous draw. Ssenyondo said the performance demonstrated how quickly his players were adapting to the world stage.
“Some teams have been here for over 12 years and have never scored a goal. We already have two,” he noted. “The way we transitioned from defence to attack, the combination play, the breaking of lines — all were good. The boys deserve praise for this performance.”
The coach also highlighted the importance of belief and composure, commending the players for sticking to their style despite facing an experienced South American side.
With two goals and one point from their first two matches, Ssenyondo believes the Cubs have sent a clear message about Uganda’s growing presence in youth football.
Uganda will return to action on Tuesday, November 11, against France in their final group fixture at Aspire Zone, kickoff at 3:30pm EAT.
