Uganda U-17 national football team head coach Brian Ssenyondo has expressed satisfaction with his squad’s progress after a week of residential training at FUFA Technical Centre, Njeru, as preparations intensify for the 2025 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
The Cubs entered camp on February 24 with a provisional squad of 37 players all vying for a place in the final team. With seven days of training completed, Ssenyondo is encouraged by the commitment and improvement shown so far.
“It’s always good to win, but what matters most is how the team plays,” he remarked after their 2-0 friendly victory against Jinja SSS. “The boys performed well, and we are pleased with their progress so far. This game has helped us understand what needs to be worked on in the coming week.”
The first few days of camp focused on fitness and endurance before transitioning to tactical drills. Their first test on the pitch came against Jinja SSS, where goals from Kabiito Marvin and Walusimbi Abubakali sealed the win. Despite the result, Ssenyondo emphasized that the main objective was to gauge the players’ readiness.
Now, with the foundation set, the focus shifts to refining tactics and assessing how players respond to different situations. The head coach has lined up additional friendlies to continue evaluating the team ahead of AFCON.
“Hopefully, we shall have two more friendlies next week to continue assessing the team because the tournament is drawing nearer,” Ssenyondo noted.
For the players, every training session is an opportunity to prove themselves. The competition for places is fierce, but the shared goal remains the same—to qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
“Our success in the qualifiers was built on hard work, dedication, and teamwork,” said forward Wanyama Simon. “Now, we need to push even harder because our main goal is to qualify for the World Cup.”
With just a month left until the Cubs step onto the grand stage in Morocco, the coaching staff is ensuring the team is physically prepared, tactically disciplined, and mentally strong. Uganda is not just aiming to participate at AFCON—they want to compete, contend, and make history.
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