Cranes subdued at own party
The celebrations from a day earlier took their toll on the team. PHOTO/COURTESY
What you need to know:
With qualification already in the bag, topping the group was high on the agenda on Friday as Uganda faced South Africa at Namboole. But the Cranes will now go into the final match with that business out of their hands after losing to Bafana Bafana
Uganda Cranes' party had been triggered the evening before the day after. True, Uganda had done their business early to top Group K and qualify with 10 points after four matches.
But it was during and after South Africa squeezed life out of the Cranes at Namboole on Friday evening that you - in retrospect - sighed in big relief that South Sudan’s 3-2 victory over Congo in Juba on Thursday had, thank God, completed the job for Uganda.
Second half goals from Thapelo Morena and Patrick Patrick Maswanganyi secured South Africa a 2-0 victory at Namboole, which was also Uganda’s first defeat of the 2025 Afcon qualifiers.
That victory saw Bafana Bafana assume Group K leadership on 11 points, one more than the Cranes. This means matters of who tops the group in the end have officially vacated Uganda's hands to South Africa’s.
Uganda end their campaign away to Congo in Brazzaville next Tuesday while South Africa host South Sudan. Uganda’s party that was triggered on Thursday was meant to continue unabated through Friday at Namboole.
But South Africa, who were also having a mini away party, decided to upgrade and take over even that of Cranes, beating them at the same venue they edged them one-nil 20 years ago.
In case you missed it, the venue is Mandela - the Nelson one - National Stadium, Namboole. They were home, after all, Bafana.
Cranes coach Paul Put handed Timothy Awany his first start of the qualifiers alongside Bevis Mugabi and ahead of Halid Lwaliwa in central defence.
Jude Ssemugabi returned to the first XI after starting on the bench in the 2-1 win away to South Sudan, while Allan Okello started his second successive game.
But not even this reshuffle sprung the Cranes to life before an expectant huge crowd that had made their way to Namboole by train, road and on foot.
Skipper Khalid Aucho, Jude Ssemugabi and Taddeo Luwagga offered little between the back and attack, leaving Rogers Mato, Denis Omedi and Allan Okello largely unemployed.
But even when the front three sniffed at the ball when South Africa allowed them, there was little to write home about.
Okello did excite the crowd in the 38th minute when he dummied and dinked the ball over Mothobi Mvala but was immediately tracked and hounded down by a gang of two others in the South African green.
Moments later, Rushwin Dortley served a spin and turn of his own, crossing into the box but Awany earned his money by stamping the ball out.
Moreno, Elias Sepho Mokwana, Evidence Makgopa and Reagan Appollis kept Kenneth Ssemakula, Awany, Mugabi and Abdul Aziz Kayondo in full time service, while South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams was only called to serious service when Ssemugabi was through but out his effort cast wide in the 53rd minute.
By then, South Africa were already ahead, after a moment Lwanga would want to forget as quickly as possible four minutes into the second half. That Uganda have already qualified should help the midfielder already take it in stride.
Goalkeeper Ismail Watenga started play from the back, passing to Mugabi on his right and the latter passing it on to Lwanga, who had Makgopa in close watch.
But Lwanga got caught in two minds, inviting Morena to join the press and the forward followed through to slot home the opener leaving the Ugandan on the floor, crestfallen.
Minutes later, Lwanga was saved from the hard day’s work as he was taken off in a triple substitution that had him, Ssemugabi and Omedi come off for Hakim Kiwanuka, Bobosi Byaruhanga and Steven Mukwaka. Travis Mutyaba, for Okello, joined the fray in the 63rd minute and displayed some of his tricky movements
Byaruhanga did force a save from Williams from a free kick on 78 minutes before Iqraam Rayners also missed an empty net for South Africa at the other end.
The South Africans, who controlled the game at Namboole, finally got their second a minute to full time, and it was a beauty.
Rayners cut in from the right and delightedly chipped the ball into the Cranes box, with Mugabi and Ssemakula having Maswanganyi under control.
But the South African striker majestically brought the ball down with his foot, turning on the back of Mugabi and slotting home low on Watenga’s left. 2-0 and game down. Action resumes on November 19.
Afcon 2025 qualifiers
Group K, Matchday Five Results
Uganda 0-2 South Africa
South Sudan 3-2 Congo
Tue, Nov 19: South Africa vs South Sudan
Tue, Nov 19: Congo vs Uganda
Group K Table Standings
Team P W D L GF GA GD PTS
S. Africa 5 3 2 0 13 5 8 11
Uganda 5 3 1 1 7 5 2 10
Congo 5 1 1 3 4 11 -7 4
S. Sudan 5 1 0 4 6 9 -3 3
