Africa-Press – Uganda. James Bogere’s 18th-minute strike not only secured a historic 1-0 victory for Uganda Cubs over European giants France but also ensured the young Ugandans’ progression to the knockout stages of the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
In a tense and closely fought Group K encounter, Head Coach Brian Ssenyondo set his team up to play fearlessly, knowing they had nothing to lose.
After a narrow defeat to Canada and a draw against Chile in their previous games, the Cubs had already captured the hearts of Ugandans.
But their performance against France exceeded expectations, with the team defending with discipline and capitalizing on opportunities to threaten the Europeans.
The decisive moment came in the 18th minute. Elvis Torach delivered a long diagonal ball to the right flank, met by Hamza Ssengooba.
Despite close marking by the French left-back, Ssengooba drove into the box and cut the ball back to striker Bogere, who calmly slotted it home from just outside the six-yard box, sending the Ugandan fans into raptures.
Uganda then held firm with resolute defending, frustrating the French side, who were otherwise focused on a thrilling contest between Chile and Canada.
In that match, Chile came from behind to beat Canada, allowing France to top the group.
Finishing third in Group K with four points, Uganda Cubs are still guaranteed a spot in the knockout rounds as one of the eight best third-place teams across the 12 groups.
This landmark win marks Uganda’s first-ever victory at a FIFA World Cup, a monumental moment for the nation’s football history and a testament to the rising talent in Ugandan youth football.
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