Laryea Kingston encouraged by willingness and intelligence of Uganda U17 players

Uganda U17 coach Laryea Kingston praised his players’ intelligence and willingness to learn after guiding the Young Cranes to qualification for the 2026 U17 Africa Cup of Nations.

The side secured their place in Morocco with a commanding 3-0 semi-final victory over Ethiopia in the CECAFA U17 Qualifiers, completing a strong campaign that highlighted their development.

Kingston expressed particular encouragement at how quickly his squad adapted to his coaching methods.

“Five days without the team scared me. I was not sure if they would understand the ideas I was bringing. We need time to build a clear style, and I was concerned whether they would grasp the new concepts within such a short period.

"But from the first whistle of the competition they proved that they are intelligent, willing to learn and can be well coached. That has been the most encouraging part of this journey so far."

Under Kingston, the team also recorded dominant wins over Burundi (4-0) and Sudan (9-0) before defeating Ethiopia, although they lost their final group match 2-1 to Tanzania. Despite that setback, the Young Cranes’ identity remained intact.

Across four matches, Uganda scored 17 goals and conceded only two, reflecting both attacking efficiency and defensive discipline.

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