Laryea Kingston has challenged Uganda to build on the Cubs’ CECAFA U-17 Championship triumph by nurturing more young talent and preparing players to serve the national teams in the years ahead.
The Ghanaian tactician guided Uganda to the regional title after a 6-5 penalty shootout victory over Somalia following a goalless draw in Kigali, Rwanda. The triumph also secured the Cubs’ qualification for the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.
Kingston was pleased with the trophy but said the team’s steady improvement throughout the tournament was equally encouraging.
“Game by game, you can see that the boys are improving,” he said.
The final proved Uganda’s toughest test. The Cubs dominated possession and created chances but failed to break down a disciplined Somali defence.
Yusuf Ssenyonga tested the goalkeeper twice in the opening 20 minutes, while David Ssegirinya made an important save to keep Uganda level. Captain Henry Muhoozi fired over shortly before half-time.
Uganda pressed harder after the break, and Muhoozi came close to scoring when his effort struck the crossbar with 15 minutes remaining. Somalia threatened in stoppage time, but captain Mohamud Osman sent his effort narrowly wide.
With neither side finding a winner, Uganda held their nerve in the shootout to claim the title.
“It was a very difficult final. We tried to unlock them and created a lot of chances, but we couldn’t put the ball at the back of the net,” Kingston said.
“When you dominate play but don’t score, the opponent grows in confidence and can hurt you. We saw what happened, but at the end of the day, we had to settle it on penalties.”
The coach praised his players for their performances and the pride they had brought to the country.
“These kids have made me proud, and I believe they have made Ugandans proud in the way they are playing,” he said.
Uganda also collected three individual awards. Muhoozi was named Most Valuable Player, Ssegirinya won Best Goalkeeper, while Arnold Kayemba finished as the tournament’s top scorer.
Kingston now wants the team’s success to translate into lasting progress through better player development and wider talent identification.
“We need to build on these victories and develop the players. We must put them in the right places so they can develop well and help the country in the future,” he said.
He believes Uganda has more promising youngsters who deserve a chance and intends to continue searching for talent to strengthen the national youth teams.
“I believe there is a lot of talent out there. We will go out and look for more players so that we can nurture them to help the country in the future,” he added.
Kingston said his plans were beginning to take shape, revealing that he had already compiled a database of about 60 youth players familiar with his playing philosophy.
“I can say I now have about 60 youth players in my database. They know the concept, and anyone I bring in will be able to take care of the business,” he said.
He also praised Uganda’s Under-20 team, which came close to qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations.
“I wish we had qualified for the AFCON, but there is a future ahead. We have two more years to go back there. We have a lot of talent, and they played as a team in their qualifier,” Kingston said.
As he becomes more familiar with Ugandan players, the coach is optimistic about the country’s prospects.
“For me, I’m excited and happy that I’m beginning to get used to Ugandan players and that my database is getting full,” he concluded.
The CECAFA title gives Kingston a strong starting point. His continued task is to keep developing the Uganda under age teams, identify more talent and ensure Uganda’s latest youth success lays the groundwork for future achievements.