Uganda U-17 national team head coach Brian Ssenyondo isn't mincing words about his team's draw for the upcoming CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025, calling his team’s first-stage opponents a "group of death."
Ssenyondo, leading the Uganda Cubs to their second CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations appearance, discussed their Group A opponents: Morocco, Tanzania, and Zambia.
"I would say it is a group of death because all the teams are very hard, but we started this journey with just one target, which is to qualify for the World Cup, and we will give it our all to see to it that at the end of the matches in the group, we are through to the World Cup,” Ssenyondo stated.
The continental competition, which doubles as a qualifier for the FIFA U-17 World Cup, takes place in Morocco from March 30th to April 19th, 2025.
'Tough road ahead'
Following the draw at CAF Headquarters in Cairo, Ssenyondo emphasised the team's World Cup qualification goal but acknowledged the tough road ahead.
“We have been waiting for this draw, and luckily enough, we now know who we will play. It is not a draw you’ll welcome but one you will take. Facing Morocco there as hosts will make the group hard. We are playing the hosts who know what it means to qualify for a World Cup,” Ssenyondo said.
“The other team is Tanzania. It’s always a hard one against Tanzania. The opponent we have not read about much is Zambia. They have played in the COSAFA competitions, which makes them a hard opponent,” the coach added.
Uganda's only previous CAF U-17 AFCON appearance was in 2019 in Tanzania. They narrowly missed the knockout stage despite a mixed bag of results: a 1-0 loss to Angola, a 1-1 draw with Nigeria, and a 3-0 victory over hosts Tanzania.
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