Uganda reignited their Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations (U17 AFCON) campaign with a resounding 3-0 victory over Tanzania in Group A action at the 2025 tournament in Morocco.
After suffering defeats in their opening matches, both teams were under pressure to secure a positive result and keep their qualification hopes alive.
Uganda, despite controlling much of the first half, struggled to convert their dominance into goals.
Turning point in the second half
The game took a decisive turn in the 56th minute when Tanzania was reduced to 10 men.
Hussein Mbegu received a red card for a dangerous challenge, shifting the momentum in Uganda’s favor.
The numerical advantage soon translated into goals, with Uganda breaking the deadlock just five minutes later.
Simon Wanyama opened the scoring in the 61st minute, capitalizing on Uganda’s sustained pressure.
As the match approached its conclusion, Richard Okello doubled the lead in the 85th minute, before James Bogere sealed the victory in stoppage time with a well-taken third goal.
A vital boost for Uganda
The victory breathes new life into Uganda’s campaign, putting them level on three points with Morocco and Zambia ahead of their crucial encounter later in the day.
With one group-stage match remaining, Uganda remains in contention for a place in the knockout rounds.
Tanzania, meanwhile, finds itself on the brink of elimination, having failed to secure a point so far.
With their qualification hopes hanging by a thread, they will need a major turnaround in their final group fixture to have any chance of progressing.
Uganda’s commanding performance serves as a statement of intent, proving their resilience after a difficult start to the tournament.
As the competition progresses, they will look to build on this result and keep their knockout stage ambitions alive.
