Bafana Bafana have moved top of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying group after Thapelo Morena and Patrick Maswanganyi’s goals gave them a 2-0 win over Uganda on Friday.
South Africa and Uganda both headed into the match with less pressure after securing their qualification on Thursday, thanks to South Sudan’s win over Congo, but coach Hugo Broos still fielded a strong lineup with a view to winning the match.
He was rewarded with three points thanks to goals from substitutes Morena and Maswanganyi as his boys defied the sold-out crowd at the Mandela National Stadium in Kampala to hand Uganda their first defeat.
After a goalless first half, where no side had a shot on target, Morena, who came in for Elias Mokwana, broke the deadlock in the 49th after profiting from a lapse in the Uganda defence to slot past goalkeeper Ismail Watenga.
How did Tito score his maiden goal?
South Africa looked headed for a 1-0 win until late on when Maswanganyi made his presence felt.
Having come on in the 71st minute for Luke Le Roux, Tito received a good pass from Iqraam Rayners before beating his marker to fire a low shot in the back of the net to seal the win in the 89th minute.
It was a memorable moment for the Orlando Pirates playmaker given it was his debut goal for Bafana Bafana.
Victory maintained South Africa’s unbeaten run in the qualifiers as they have now moved ahead of Uganda in Group K on 11 points, one more than the Cranes, and they will hope to complete the job when they host South Sudan in Cape Town on Tuesday.
