Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: The Uganda U-17 national team, the Cubs, fell 3–2 to Tanzania in the CECAFA U-17 Championship final played on Tuesday, 2nd December, at the Abebe Bikila Stadium, despite having already booked their slot at the 2026 AFCON U-17 tournament in Morocco.
Tanzania struck first in the sixth minute after a defensive lapse in Uganda’s backline. The Cubs responded swiftly seven minutes later when Thomas Ogema intercepted a loose pass, beat two defenders and rounded the goalkeeper to level matters at 1–1.
However, Tanzania regained control, scoring twice before halftime to take a 3–1 lead into the break.
Uganda returned for the second half with renewed urgency, pressing high in search of a comeback. The Cubs earned a penalty, but the Tanzanian goalkeeper produced a crucial save to deny a turning point. The defending champions kept pushing and pulled one back in added time through Brian Olwa, but the late effort was not enough to overturn the deficit.
Uganda’s journey to the final included a dominant 3–0 semifinal win over hosts Ethiopia, with Lorian Lwesibawa netting twice, including a brilliant free-kick, before Ogema added the third. Tanzania, meanwhile, entered the final in strong form, having won all their group matches, including a 2–1 victory over Uganda earlier in the tournament.
Ethiopia claimed the final AFCON U-17 slot after defeating Kenya 3–0 in the third-place playoff. The final in Addis Ababa drew senior football leaders from across CECAFA member federations, underscoring the growing investment in youth football across East and Central Africa.
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