Both Uganda Cranes and South Africa have a pivotal opportunity to secure their places in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) if they win their upcoming matches against South Sudan and Congo Brazzaville, respectively, on Tuesday. Currently, the two teams lead Group K with seven points each, while Congo Brazzaville has three points, and South Sudan remains at the bottom without any points after three games.
A victory for Uganda would propel them to ten points, potentially matching South Africa’s points tally if they win as well, ensuring qualification for both teams. Even if Congo and South Sudan win their remaining matches, they cannot reach ten points, making this a decisive moment for Uganda and South Africa. Uganda Cranes head into the return leg against South Sudan in Juba with their eyes set on this golden opportunity. A squad of 26 players left Kampala on Sunday and prepared for a crucial day of training under the high humidity conditions of Juba.
So far, Uganda has played three matches, earning seven points, with a record of five goals scored and two conceded, giving them a three-goal difference. Head Coach Paul Put remains optimistic that the team can build on their past performances to secure a vital away win. The Cranes are attempting to qualify for AFCON for the third time since their last participation in 2019 under former coach Sébastien Desabre.
They narrowly missed out on the tournament twice, with their most recent setback occurring when they finished third in their group, just one point shy of runners-up Tanzania, while Algeria topped the group with 16 points. For Cranes, midfielder Allan Okello, Tuesday’s game is one of the most critical matches for the team, and he emphasized the need to give their utmost effort.
“It is a very big game and very important to us because I think it is going to be the qualification game for us. So we need to go there and do our best, one hundred percent, the result will look,” said Okello, who has provided two assists during this qualification campaign.
Okello, alongside many of his teammates, has never experienced playing at AFCON, which has been a major motivating factor for the squad. “We need those results; we need to get back to AFCON. Me, as a player, I have never been there, and a lot of players this time around have never been there. So, all in our mind is for us to be there this time around,” he added.
Uganda Cranes find themselves in a situation reminiscent of the 2021 AFCON qualifiers when they also faced South Sudan. During that campaign, Uganda started strong, earning four points from two matches after drawing with Burkina Faso and defeating Malawi.
However, their qualification bid took a turn when they faced a doubleheader against South Sudan. Despite winning the first match at St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende, Uganda’s hopes were derailed after losing the return leg, a result that eventually led to their elimination from the tournament.
The loss against South Sudan left Uganda struggling to recover, as they went on to draw and lose their subsequent matches against Burkina Faso and Malawi, respectively. The Cranes finished third in their group, missing out on AFCON by just two points behind runners-up Malawi. Meanwhile, South Sudan earned all three of their points from their win over Uganda.
Coach Paul Put is determined to ensure that history does not repeat itself. He is aware of the past disappointment and is focused on overcoming the challenges to create a new chapter in Ugandan football. “I think everybody has a focus, they realize that we can do something. We can write history, but it will be a very hard game. It is an away game and with the way we saw South Sudan, it is not a small team. So it will be a fight for the entire game,” Put said.
Despite securing maximum points against South Sudan on Friday, Uganda’s performance left room for improvement. Coach Put’s side struggled to break down a resolute South Sudanese defense, relying on a second-half header from defender Bevis Mugabi to clinch the win.
The Cranes’ forwards found it difficult to penetrate South Sudan’s defense, prompting early substitutions, including bringing on Bobosi Byaruhanga and Allan Okello for Ronald Ssekiganda and Travis Mutyaba, which added much-needed creativity to the side.
The substitutions paid off when Okello’s cross early in the second half led to a chance for Jude Ssemugabi, whose attempt was saved by the South Sudan goalkeeper, only for Mugabi to score on the rebound, securing Uganda’s victory.
However, Coach Put is aware that the game plan South Sudan employed in Kampala may not be replicated in Juba. He anticipates that South Sudan, who played more defensively in Namboole, will adopt a more aggressive approach at home as they seek to earn at least a point from Uganda.
“It is going to be a tough one. I’ve already told the players that the field might be smaller than what we’re used to, and we need to be prepared,” he said. Put emphasized that the key to success will be balancing the team’s attacking efforts with a strong defensive display.
