Ahead of Uganda Cranes’ visit to South Africa in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, we take a look at how both sides have fared against each other previously.
The first time the Cranes and the Bafana Bafana faced off was in 2004 and they have since played three games between themselves.
Of the four encounters, South Africa have been privileged to win thrice in normal time whilst the other game ended in a stalemate but still they went ahead and won it in the penalty shootouts.
In October 2004, the Cranes hosted the Bafana Bafana at the Mandela National Stadium, Namboole for the first leg of the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign.
The visitors came out as narrow 1-0 winners through Ben McCarthy’s goal from the penalty spot. McCarthy was then playing for Portuguese giants FC Porto.
In March 2005, South Africa grabbed their second straight win over the Pearl of Africa on home soil, 2-1 at FNB Stadium also known as Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg.
Quinton Fortune who was then a player for English football powerhouse Manchester United opened the scoring for the hosts from the penalty spot before then Express star David Obua also converted from 12 yards for Uganda’s equalizer.
Steven Pienaar who was then plying his trade with Dutch giants Ajax won it for the Bafana Bafana.
Since then, the next time they met was after 14 years in 2019 in the COSAFA Cup where Uganda was playing as a guest nation.
They drew 1-1 in the plate semifinals where Vipers’ Dan Sserunkuma gave Uganda the lead before Luther Singh leveled matters for South Africa.
It needed post match penalties to separate the two teams and South Africa emerged victorious 4-2 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
The last meeting between the East Africans and South Africans was a friendly game at Orlando Stadium in 2021.
South Africa defeated Uganda 3-2 in an end to end encounter. Ibrahim Orit and Abdu Lumala scored for Uganda.
Evidence Makgopa bagged a brace for South Africa and the other goal was netted by Bongokuhle Hlongwane.
Both sides are pooled in Group K for the Morocco AFCON qualifiers alongside Congo and South Sudan.
Orlando City where they met three years ago will once again be the battlefield for Friday, September 6th’s bout.
The first bunch of players arrived in South Africa from Kampala on Saturday, August 31st to begin preparations and they will be joined by their counterparts from abroad.
