Uganda Cubs ready for Cameroon clash after impressive start at AFCON U-17

2026 TotalEnergies Africa U-17 Cup of Nations

Saturday

Cameroon v Uganda 7pm

Tuesday

Uganda v Ivory Coast 7pm

Uganda Cubs head coach Laryea Kingston says his side is ready for the challenge against Cameroon as the team targets another victory at the AFCON U-17 tournament in Morocco.

The Uganda national under-17 football team heads into Saturday's Group B clash full of confidence after an impressive 3-0 victory over DR Congo in their opening match.

Kingston said his football philosophy is based on controlling matches through possession and discipline.

"As a coach, I believe in dominating play. I believe if you take good care of the ball, you give yourself a better chance of controlling games and getting results," Kingston said.

The Ghanaian international also praised the quality of Ugandan players, saying their style perfectly suits the kind of football he wants his team to play.

"We have to play according to the qualities of the players we have. From the first day I arrived in Uganda, I recognised the quality and potential of Ugandan players. Luckily for me, the style of the Ugandan player fits perfectly with the type of football I believe in," he added.

Kingston revealed that the players now fully understand the team's approach and the importance of discipline.

"The players now understand that if they follow the plan, work hard and stay disciplined, they can get results."

Attention has now shifted to Saturday's clash against Cameroon, scheduled for 7pm. The match is expected to play a major role in deciding the group, as Cameroon already lost 2-0 to Ivory Coast in their opening game.

Another defeat would leave the Central Africans under serious pressure, while victory for Uganda would move the Cubs closer to the quarterfinals and qualification for the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

"We know the next game against Cameroon will be very difficult because they are a strong football nation with a great history at this level. But this opening victory gives us confidence going into that match," Kingston noted.

"We are focusing fully on Cameroon now and trying to prepare a game plan that can create problems for them. This was a very important result for the players and for all Ugandans."

The top two teams from each group automatically qualify for both the AFCON U-17 quarterfinals and the FIFA U-17 World Cup, while additional World Cup slots will be decided through playoffs involving third-placed teams. Africa will have 10 representatives at the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Kingston also revealed that the technical team has focused heavily on the players' mentality and character development during the tournament.

"You can have all the talent in the world, but if you are not mentally ready, it becomes difficult to perform at your best," he explained.

"We introduced something we call 'character class', where we select different topics and discuss them together as a group. It helps the players understand life, responsibility and how to deal with difficult moments."

He believes Uganda can secure another positive result.

"We respect Cameroon because they are strong physically and tactically, but we believe in ourselves and want to qualify early with another win," he said.

Uganda will complete their group stage campaign against Ivory Coast next Tuesday, while DR Congo will face Cameroon in the other Group B fixture.

Kingston believes qualification for the World Cup would be important both for the players and for Ugandan football.

"For the players, it would be an opportunity to test themselves on the world stage and gain invaluable experience. For the country, it would show that the youth development structures are moving in the right direction," he said.

"We still need to improve our scouting systems and continue identifying the right talent, but I believe we are on the right path. At the moment, though, we are taking things one game at a time."