Thalente Mbatha rescued Bafana Bafana’s blushes with a 96th minute strike to earn a 2-2 draw against Uganda in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying opener at Orlando Stadium on Friday evening.
In a game that looked poised for only one result, a win for South Africa, based on their form in comparison to the Cranes, the visitors pulled off the unthinkable.
Hugo Broos’ men, buoyed by their resurgence over the last three and half years under his tutelage, bronze medal finishers at the 2023 AFCON were on full control with a 1-0 lead, which should have been more going into the break.
Lyle Foster’s 14th-minute opener was the difference, but it could have been comfortable, had the like of Khuliso Mudau, Oswin Appollis and Elias Mokwana grabbed their half chances in the area over the opening 45 minutes.
And they were made to rue those chances as less than ten minutes into the second half, two speculative long-range efforts, turned into goals, via Denis Omedi and Rogers Mato, with the second a howler from goalkeeper Veli Mothwa as the ball slipped through his gloves.
The visitors went into a low block with a six-man defence straight after, ready to secure the three points and despite Bafana throwing the kitchen sink at the East Africans, they were unable to get back into the game to secure three points.
Late substitute Mbatha saved the home side’s blushes with a low left-footed drive from the edge of the box, as Bafana could only settle for a 2-2 draw.
South Africa now travel to Juba to face South Sudan for their second Group K qualifier, while Paul Put’s side will host Congo Brazzaville on Monday at the Mandela National Stadium in Kampala.
