Uganda Cranes secure 2nd victory in AFCON 2025 qualifiers

🇺🇬 Uganda 1-0 South Sudan 🇸🇸
🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea 1-0 Liberia 🇱🇷
🇲🇿 Mozambique 1-1 Eswatini 🇸🇿
🇿🇲 Zambia 0-0 Chad 🇹🇩
🇲🇬 Madagascar 1-1 Gambia 🇬🇲
🇧🇯 Benin 3-0 Rwanda 🇷🇼
🇨🇲 Cameroon 4-1 Kenya 🇰🇪
🇪🇬 Egypt 2-0 Mauritania 🇲🇷
🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-0 Libya 🇱🇾
🇿🇦 South Africa 5-0 Congo Republic 🇨🇬
🇦🇴 Angola 2-0 Niger 🇳🇪
🇬🇦 Gabon 0-0 Lesotho 🇱🇸
🇨🇮 Ivory Coast 4-1 Sierra Leone 🇸🇱
🇲🇱 Mali 1-0 Guinea-Bissau 🇬🇼
🇸🇳 Senegal 4-0 Malawi 🇲🇼
🇹🇳 Tunisia 0-1 Comoros

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT, URN & AGENCIES  | Uganda Cranes secured their second victory in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers with a 1-0 win over South Sudan at the Mandela National Stadium on Friday.

Defender Bevis Mugabi’s early second-half goal was enough to earn the Cranes all three points in front of a packed crowd.

The win helped the cranes to get the first advantage of this double header fixture before heading to Juba for the return leg on October 15.

Uganda Crane’s player Rogers Mato had earlier made it clear that they  are eyeing not just a win at home but also another maximum result away. The win moves Uganda to seven points, same points with South Africa.

The first half of the match saw little action, as both teams struggled to create significant goal-scoring opportunities. Uganda’s Rogers Mato had a few attempts, but his efforts went off-target, leaving the teams deadlocked at 0-0 by halftime.

Uganda made key tactical adjustments at the start of the second half, with Allan Okello and Bobosi Byaruhanga coming on to replace Travis Mutyaba and SC Villa’s Ronald Sekiganda.

The changes reshaped Uganda’s attack, with Jude Ssemugabi moving to center forward and Denis Omedi shifting to the right wing, while Okello took up the role of playmaker.

These changes paid off almost immediately. In the first minute of the second half, Mugabi capitalized on a rebound from Ssemugabi’s header, which had been saved by the South Sudanese goalkeeper, to nod the ball into the net, giving Uganda the lead.

Ssemugabi nearly doubled Uganda’s advantage in the 58th minute, but his shot was blocked by the South Sudan goalkeeper. In stoppage time, Omedi also had a chance to extend the lead, but his shot from the right wing was saved as well.

In his post-match remarks, South Sudan’s coach praised his team’s fighting spirit, despite the defeat.

On the other hand, Uganda’s coach Put expressed dissatisfaction with the first-half performance, citing the team’s late arrival at the stadium as a potential cause. However, he was pleased with their improvement in the second half.

“I was disappointed in the 45 minutes with the way we played, I can’t tell, I don’t know whether it’s because we came late to the pitch,” he said.

“The second half there was much drive, commitment and played better. Now we have to put our focus on the return leg,” the  return leg will be a tough one and I have already told the players, because even the field might be smaller than this,” he added.

Congratulations @UgandaCranes for another invaluable three points at home. Let us make it happen again in Juba🇸🇸 on Tuesday to get closer to securing a spot at the 2025 AFCON finals.

We can! pic.twitter.com/nzOktkSCxv

— Peter Ogwang (@OgwangOgwang) October 11, 2024

16 games, 35 goals and loads of entertainment. What a day of #AFCONQ2025 action. 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/NR14RePBRF

— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) October 11, 2024

Yes! Back to back win at the fortress 🏟️

Full-time. Uganda 1-0 South Sudan #UGASSD | #AFCONQ2025 pic.twitter.com/LhJc4NRVWT

— Uganda Cranes (@UgandaCranes) October 11, 2024

Meanwhile, a day earlier, Botswana secured a vital 1-0 away victory against Cape Verde in their TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Group C qualifier, thanks to an early goal by Tumisang Orebonye. 

The forward found the net just two minutes into the match, capitalizing on a quick break and a precise through ball from Kabelo Seakanyeng to send a powerful shot into the top corner.

The win lifts Botswana to three points, tying them with Cape Verde, who have also accumulated three points from three games.

Egypt tops the group with six points from two matches, while Mauritania, with one point, will play Egypt on Friday, hoping to close the gap.

Cape Verde pushed hard for an equalizer, dominating possession and creating numerous chances, but Botswana’s resolute defense, led by Goitseone Phoko in goal, held firm.

Fabrício Garcia and Jovane Cabral came close to scoring late in the game, but Botswana managed to see out the win, leaving Cape Verde frustrated as their hopes of advancing now hang in the balance.

DR Congo edge Tanzania in Group H

DR Congo maintained their perfect record in Group H with a narrow 1-0 victory over Tanzania at Stade des Martyrs, thanks to a second-half own goal by Clement Mzize.

The mishap occurred in the 53rd minute when Mzize inadvertently deflected a Congo cross into his own net, giving the hosts a crucial lead.

This win propels DR Congo to nine points from three matches, firmly establishing them at the top of the group.

Tanzania, meanwhile, remains in second place with four points, while Ethiopia and Guinea, both yet to win a game, sit in third and fourth, respectively, ahead of their upcoming clash on Saturday.

The match was a tense affair, with Tanzania creating chances but failing to convert.

Mbwana Samatta and Feisal Salum tested the DR Congo defense, but the hosts stood strong, while Arthur Masuaku nearly doubled the lead for Congo, hitting the bar from a free-kick late in the second half.

The result leaves Tanzania needing a positive result in their next match to keep their qualification hopes alive.

Ghana held to a goalless draw by Sudan

Ghana’s Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign stuttered again as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Sudan at Accra Sports Stadium on Thursday.

Despite dominating possession and creating several chances, Ghana could not find a breakthrough.

The Black Stars now sit third in Group F with just two points from three matches, while Sudan’s point lifts them to second with four points.

Angola leads the group with six points from two games, while Niger is bottom with one point. Angola will face Niger on Friday.

In a frustrating match for Ghana, Mohammed Kudus and Iñaki Williams came closest to scoring, but Sudan’s defense, marshaled by goalkeeper Mohamed Al Mustafa, stood firm.

Ghana’s attacking players struggled to break down a resolute Sudanese side that managed to keep the game scoreless despite intense late pressure.