Elijah Roche scored in the 88th minute, and Marius Aiyenero converted a penalty during stoppage time, leading Canada to a dramatic 2-1 win over Uganda on Wednesday. This marked Canada's first-ever victory in nine FIFA U-17 World Cup appearances.
James Bogere opened scoring in the 25th minute, giving Uganda something to celebrate in its debut FIFA tournament. However, Canada quickly fought back. Roche, who had earlier made a crucial goal-saving tackle, headed in a corner from Aghilas Sadek to equalize late in the game in Doha, Qatar.
Following a video review, Uganda’s John Asiimwe was penalized for taking down substitute Aiyenero inside the box. Aiyenero, who plays for Los Angeles FC 2, calmly converted the penalty, beating goalkeeper Gilbert Mazige in the 98th minute to secure the win.
"Tonight is a proud moment for our program," said Canada head coach Mike Vitulano. "We wanted to set a new benchmark for the generations to come and did just that."
"The boys showed incredible character to come from behind, fight their way back and find a way to win late. It's a testament to their belief and togetherness. We'll enjoy this moment, but we're an ambitious group and our focus quickly shifts to preparing for the next match."
Summary: Canada’s U-17 men's team achieved a historic first win at the FIFA U-17 World Cup, showing resilience and unity in a late comeback against Uganda.