Former Ghana international Laryea Kingston has qualified Uganda’s U-17 national team – the Cubs – to the 2026 CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations in the most spectacular fashion imaginable.
On a wild Sunday afternoon in Addis Ababa, the same man who once tore apart full-backs for the Black Stars at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations and helped Ghana win Olympic silver that same year, masterminded a ruthless 3-0 demolition of hosts Ethiopia in the CECAFA U-17 semifinal.
The victory didn’t just break Ethiopian hearts in front of their own fans at the Abebe Bikila Stadium – it sent Uganda roaring into Monday’s regional final against Tanzania and, more importantly, booked their ticket to Morocco 2026 as one of the three automatic qualifiers from the zone.
This is no ordinary achievement. This is a Ghanaian football icon crossing borders and becoming the architect of one of Uganda’s brightest youth football.
When FUFA appointed Laryea Kingston in early 2025, some raised eyebrows. A Ghanaian coaching Uganda’s youth? But the man they call “The Maestro” wasted no time proving the doubters wrong.
He brought Ghanaian flair, European experience (from spells in Scotland, Russia, Israel, and Saudi Arabia), and an unshakable belief that Ugandan kids could play beautiful, winning football.
He introduced video analysis sessions the players had never seen before. He drilled them on positional play, quick transitions, and that killer instinct in the final third.
52′ – Lorian Lwesibawa: The moment the stadium went quiet.
A lightning Uganda counter, one-touch football straight out of Kingston’s playbook. Left-back Isaac Mukwaba overlaps, floats a perfect cross, and there’s Lwesibawa – the 16-year-old from St. Mary’s Kitende – rising above two defenders to bullet a header into the top corner. The net ripples, the Ethiopian bench sinks, and the travelling Uganda fans explode. 1–0. Game changed.
54′ – Thomas Ogema: Two minutes drama.
That’s all it took to kill the tie.
Ethiopia are still reeling from the opener when midfield maestro Thomas Ogema picks the ball up 30 yards out. One shimmy, two touches, and he unleashes a low rocket that skids across the wet turf and nestles in the bottom corner past the despairing dive of the keeper. The assistant coach is already jumping on Laryea Kingston’s back – 2–0 in 120 seconds of madness. Pure devastation.
78′ – Lorian Lwesibawa: The seal.
Ethiopia pushing desperately for a lifeline leave acres at the back. Quick throw, Ogema finds Lwesibawa in the channel, one touch to set himself, second touch – a silky chip over the advancing keeper that drops under the bar like it was guided by GPS. He doesn’t even celebrate properly; he just points to the crest, kisses the badge, and sprints back. Ice in his veins. Tournament top-scorer status locked.
Morocco 2026, the Cubs are coming – and they’re bringing fire.