Cameroon U17 end AFCON drought with crucial win over Uganda

By Angu Lesley

Cameroon’s U17 national team secured a precious 1-0 victory over Uganda on Friday to register their first win at the U17 Africa Cup of Nations since lifting the title in 2019, ending a frustrating run of winless campaigns at the continental showpiece.

A first-half strike from Abdulraman Soudeisse proved enough to hand the Young Indomitable Lions all three points in a tightly contested Group B clash, reviving Cameroon’s hopes of progressing after an opening defeat to Côte d’Ivoire. Soudeisse found the breakthrough in the 25th minute as Cameroon showed far greater urgency and defensive discipline than in their first outing.

The victory carries significance beyond just three points.

It marks Cameroon’s first win at the U17 AFCON since their golden generation conquered Africa in 2019 under coach Thomas Libiih. That historic side, captained by Steve Mvoue and featuring talents such as Ekoi Manfred and Alioum Moubarak, defeated Guinea 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the final to hand Cameroon their second continental U17 crown.

That 2019 triumph had positioned Cameroon as a rising force in African youth football, with Mvoue later earning the tournament’s Best Player award and global attention as one of the country’s brightest prospects.

However, the years that followed were far less convincing.

At the 2023 U17 AFCON, Cameroon failed to win a single match despite entering the competition as one of the fancied teams, crashing out without a victory. The story repeated itself again in the 2025 edition, where the Young Lions once more exited the tournament winless, raising concerns over the decline of one of Africa’s traditionally strong youth programs.

Friday’s narrow success over Uganda therefore felt symbolic—a long-awaited reset for a nation eager to rediscover its dominance at youth level.

After losing 2-0 to Côte d’Ivoire in their opening match, another defeat would have severely dented Cameroon’s qualification hopes. Instead, the Young Lions responded with character, tactical discipline, and resilience to keep their campaign alive.

Cameroon will now head into their final group fixture against DR Congo knowing qualification remains within reach.

While this current generation still has much to prove before being compared to the celebrated 2019 class, their victory over Uganda may yet prove to be the first step in restoring Cameroon’s lost U17 pedigree on the continental stage.