Uganda’s U-17 national team may have lost 2–1 to Panama in their second friendly of the Dubai Youth Challenge Cup, but the performance left plenty of reasons for optimism ahead of their historic FIFA U-17 World Cup debut next month.
The Cubs, who had drawn 1–1 with Venezuela earlier in the week, once again displayed flair, structure, and attacking intent — traits that have become hallmarks of Brian Ssenyondo’s young side.
Uganda struck first through a brilliant Simon Wanyama volley in the 13th minute, a goal that showcased their improved technical play. But Panama responded almost immediately, equalizing from the spot through Gordon Gerson, before Richards Moises found the winner midway through the second half.
The Cubs created several chances but were undone by a missed penalty and two efforts that struck the crossbar — moments that could have changed the game’s outcome.
Rather than dwell on the result, Coach Ssenyondo chose to highlight the progress his players have made during their Dubai camp.
“The scoreline doesn’t reflect the way we played,” Ssenyondo said. “Our coordination, movement, and ball progression from defence to attack were excellent. These are the same patterns we’ve been working on in training, and the boys executed them well.”
With one more test — against Paraguay on Tuesday, October 28 — the Cubs will wrap up their preparations before heading to Qatar, where they’ll face Canada, Chile, and France in Group K of the U-17 World Cup.
For Ssenyondo and his players, the lessons from Dubai may prove more valuable than the results themselves — fine-tuning a team that’s eager to announce Uganda’s arrival on the global stage.
