Uganda Cubs head coach Brian Ssenyondo believes his side’s training stint in Dubai has been invaluable in preparing them for their maiden appearance at the FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar next month.
The young Ugandans wrapped up their three-match tour of duty in the Dubai Youth Challenge Cup, using the games to fine-tune tactics and gain exposure against teams with similar playing styles to their upcoming World Cup opponents.
“This camp has opened our eyes,” Ssenyondo reflected. “The teams we faced play a lot like our group opponents, especially Canada and Chile. It’s given us a true sense of what lies ahead.”
Uganda played out a 1-1 draw with Venezuela before falling narrowly 2-1 to Panama and 3-2 to Paraguay, but results mattered less than the lessons learned.
The final friendly against Paraguay showcased both promise and inexperience. James Bogere opened the scoring with his second goal of the tour, while Abubakali Walusimbi added another, though Paraguay rallied to win through goals from Alan Ledesma, Almada Derlis, and De Carvalho Mauricio.
Bogere emerged as Uganda’s top scorer with two goals, while Simon Wanyama and Walusimbi each contributed one.
For the Cubs, the Dubai camp wasn’t about trophies but transformation turning raw talent into readiness. With their historic World Cup debut set for November 5 against Canada, and group-stage ties to follow against Chile and France, Ssenyondo’s boys now return home battle-tested and brimming with belief.
