U-17 World Cup: Ssenyondo praises Uganda resilience after draw

Uganda U-17 national team coach Brian Ssenyondo praised his side’s character and resilience after they secured their first point in the on-going 2025 FIFA World Cup in Qatar on Saturday.

Substitute Derick Ssozi struck late to earn Uganda a vital point. Chile captain Bruno Torres’ glancing header from Antonio Riquelme’s curling free-kick looked set to be the winner, until a corner deep into added time caused chaos in the box and allowed Ssozi, who had been on the pitch for a matter of seconds, to fire home.

‘It means a lot for the people’

Speaking after the game, Ssenyondo told FIFA.com: “It feels good. I said last time that we should come back stronger. I liked the discipline of the boys, the resilience, the character, the attitude. I’m very happy.

“It means a lot for the people. Last time, they left sad, because we gave away the win. Today, we gave them the happiness.”

The draw left Uganda third in Group K with one point, while France remained top with four points. The Cubs will next face France at Aspire Zone – Pitch 3 on Tuesday.