Egypt and Uganda have punched their tickets to the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar this November after big wins in the CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations play-offs. These matches were the last chance for the four third-place teams from the group stage to grab the final two spots representing Africa at the global tournament.
Uganda made history in the first game of the day. Even though The Gambia scored right out of the gate—literally within the first minute—Uganda didn’t flinch. Coach Brian Ssenyondo’s boys bounced back quickly, with star striker James Bogere scoring twice in the 13th and 33rd minutes to flip the game. Uganda held on through the second half and walked away with a 2-1 win, securing their first-ever U-17 World Cup spot.
Egypt followed that up with their own 2-1 victory, this time against Angola. Abdel Aziz El Zoghby got the scoreboard rolling in the 39th minute when his shot deflected in. Hamza Mohamed Abdel Karim doubled the lead in the 69th, firing a shot off the post and in. Angola tried to rally, cutting the deficit with a goal from Lourenco Jose Didissa in the 83rd minute, but Egypt stood firm and sealed their World Cup place.
This year’s U-17 World Cup is bigger than ever, featuring 48 teams for the first time. The tournament kicks off on November 3rd and runs until the 27th in Qatar.
