The Uganda Cranes kicked off their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign with a solid start, securing a hard-fought point in a 2-2 draw against South Africa at Orlando Stadium, Johannesburg.
The match, which began at 7:00 pm EAT, saw South Africa take the lead early in the 14th minute, courtesy of a strike from Lyle Foster. The Bafana Bafana held on to this advantage through halftime, applying pressure on Uganda’s defense.
However, Paul Put’s Uganda Cranes came out strong after the break, intensifying their attacking efforts. Their persistence paid off when Denis Omedi found the back of the net in the 51st minute, followed by Rogers Mato’s goal just three minutes later in the 54th, turning the game in Uganda’s favour.
Despite withstanding heavy pressure from South Africa, Uganda’s defense was finally breached deep into added time, with Thalente Mbatha scoring the equalizer in the 95th minute, denying Uganda the win.
The result leaves both Uganda and South Africa with one point each in Group K. Meanwhile, Congo Brazzaville tops the group after defeating South Sudan on Thursday.
Now, the Uganda Cranes, eager to return to the AFCON finals for the first time since their 2019 appearance in Egypt, shift focus to their next challenge. They are set to host Congo at Namboole Stadium on Monday.
