Uganda’s U17 national team, the Cubs, have continued their magical World Cup journey after knocking out Senegal with a hard-fought 1–0 victory in the Round of 32 on Saturday in Qatar.
The thrilling clash, played at Aspire Zone Pitch 7, saw Abubakali Walusimbi become the hero of the day after smashing in the only goal of the game in the 15th minute. Walusimbi received a clever pass from captain Hamuza Ssengooba and unleashed a powerful low strike into the bottom corner a moment that sealed Uganda’s ticket to the Round of 16.
Coming off a historic win against France, the Cubs stepped onto the pitch full of confidence and maintained the same starting lineup, with Arafat Nkoola, Richard Okello and James Bogere leading the attack.
Goalkeeper Edrisah Waibi was another standout performer, pulling off multiple crucial saves as Senegal piled on pressure throughout the game. His brilliance earned him the Man of the Match award.
Uganda suffered a setback when captain Ssengooba was forced off due to a head injury early in the second half. Senegal kept pushing and even thought they had won a penalty late in the game, but VAR overturned the decision. They later had a goal ruled out for offside in the dying minutes.
The final whistle sparked celebrations as Uganda secured yet another historic milestone.
Uganda will now face Burkina Faso in the Round of 16 as their fairytale run continues.
