Uganda wrote a new chapter in Kampala, sealing a place in the CHAN 2024 quarter-finals with a breathless 3-3 draw against South Africa that turned despair into delirium at Namboole Stadium.
On a night thick with nerves and noise at Nelson Mandela National Stadium, the Cranes were pushed to the edge by Bafana Bafana, then found the poise and courage to claw back a result that will live long in East African football memory.
How the night unfolded
Uganda started on the front foot, the movement of Reagan Mpande and Allan Okello immediately unsettling the visitors, and the home side’s intent set the tempo for a contest that never eased up.
Jude Ssemugabi broke the deadlock, steering in Patrick Kakande’s low cross in the 31st minute to send 34,000 home fans into raptures and give the Cranes the platform they craved.
After halftime, South Africa hit back with ruthless efficiency. Ramahlwe Mphahlele levelled in the 52nd minute, a goal awarded after a lengthy VAR check, and six minutes later Thabiso Kutumela flipped the script to make it 2-1 to the visitors.
When Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo pounced late, capitalising on a mistake by goalkeeper Joel Mutakubwa, South Africa led 3-1 with seven minutes remaining, and the mood inside Namboole sagged as some Ugandan fans began to head for the exits.
But the Cranes refused to fold. A late surge yielded a lifeline when Allan Okello, so influential all evening, dispatched an 88th-minute penalty to cut the deficit and reignite belief across the stands.
The decisive twist arrived deep into added time. VAR confirmed a handball against a South Africa defender, and captain Rogers Torach stepped up to convert, his stoppage-time penalty sparking wild celebration as Uganda secured the 3-3 draw they needed.
Group arithmetic and a historic first
As news filtered through of Algeria’s 0-0 draw with Niger in Nairobi, the equation became clear. Uganda topped Group C with seven points, Algeria finished second with six, and South Africa also ended on six but fell out on an inferior goal difference.
This result did more than carry Uganda through. It ended a long wait, marking the first time in seven appearances that the Cranes have reached the knockout stage of the African Nations Championship.
“I recall that at the start of the tournament, we lost our first game. It was a sad moment, but we kept believing. Today, here we are, through to the next stage,” said Uganda’s head coach via CAF’s website.
Algeria’s coach Madjid Bougherra saluted the rising standards, noting that their group was tough and that qualification only came in the final game, a reminder of the fine margins that defined Group C.
Why this comeback resonated
Uganda’s performance blended tactical courage with emotional steel. Okello probed relentlessly between the lines, Karim Watambala kept South Africa honest with shots from range, and Ssemugabi’s timing for the opener showed a team ready to seize moments.
The late penalties did not just change the scoreline, they captured the Cranes’ refusal to surrender. The stoppage-time strike by captain Rogers Torach was the exclamation point on a night that demanded composure, authority and faith.
What it means for East Africa
The Cranes’ surge completed an East African statement, with Kenya and Tanzania also advancing and topping their groups. Uganda’s reward for winning Group C is a bracket that avoids Kenya’s Harambee Stars until the final, a tantalising prospect for regional supporters.
Kenya face Madagascar in the quarter-finals, and if they progress, they would meet the winner between the Group D winners and Algeria in the semi-finals. Uganda’s path, by contrast, keeps them on home turf and away from their neighbours for now.
Next up for Uganda
Morley Byekwaso’s team will play the runners-up of Group D at Namboole on August 23, a quarter-final that keeps the Cranes in familiar surroundings and in front of their fervent crowd.
Group D remains finely poised. Sudan and holders Senegal lead with four points each, Congo sit on two, and Nigeria are already eliminated with no points from two matches. The final round of fixtures will be played on Tuesday evening, with Sudan facing Senegal at Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar, while Nigeria meet Congo in Dar es Salaam.
Should Uganda advance, their semi-final would also be staged at Namboole on August 26, with a third-place playoff set for August 29 at the same venue, a logistical boost and a psychological lift for a side that thrives on the energy of home support.
There is also the broader bracket picture. By topping their group, Uganda would align for a potential semi-final against either Tanzania or Morocco, a path that reflects the balance of power across the draw and the growing strength of regional rivals.
Key moments that swung the tie
- Ssemugabi’s opener from Kakande’s cross, a precisely timed run and finish that rewarded Uganda’s positive start,
- South Africa’s rapid turnaround after the break, Mphahlele’s VAR-confirmed equaliser and Kutumela’s strike that pushed Uganda onto the ropes,
- Ndlondlo’s late goal after Mutakubwa’s error, a blow that seemed to settle the contest,
- Okello’s 88th-minute penalty and Torach’s stoppage-time conversion after VAR confirmed a handball, the pair of spot-kicks that turned anguish into relief.
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Tactical and mental takeaways
Uganda’s front-foot approach in the opening half-hour created pressure and territory. The width provided by Patrick Kakande and the clever spacing of Okello allowed the Cranes to probe South Africa’s defensive channels.
When Bafana Bafana seized momentum after the interval, Uganda wobbled, but Byekwaso’s men leaned on set-piece composure and decision making in decisive moments. The calm penalties reflected a group that believed the opportunity was still there to be taken.
At the back, the Cranes will review the build-up to South Africa’s goals and the moment that led to the third. Yet the late response, under maximum pressure, showcased a mentality that has often separated survivors from spectators in tournament football.
Group C in focus
Uganda’s seven points set the pace. Algeria followed with six after drawing with Niger in Nairobi, while South Africa’s six were not enough due to an inferior goal difference. Guinea collected four points and Niger finished with two, a spread that underlined how tight and competitive the group became by the final whistle.
Only the top two teams progressed, and the Cranes earned that status by refusing to let the decisive night drift away from them. A single point, shaped by two late penalties, became the difference between elimination and elevation.
The feeling at Namboole
From the roar that greeted Ssemugabi’s opener to the rising anxiety at 1-3, the stadium traced every emotion available to sport. Then came the catharsis, first as Okello’s penalty hit the net, and finally as Torach’s winner-in-all-but-name sealed the draw that felt like a victory.
Namboole will now remain the cradle of Uganda’s knockout journey. The bond between team and crowd, so evident on Monday night, could be the intangible that keeps the Cranes soaring into the tournament’s business end.
Final word
Uganda did not win the match, but they won the moment, and that is what tournaments are built on. The Cranes turned a 3-1 deficit into the most precious point of their CHAN story, toppled the weight of history, and stepped into the last eight as Group C winners.
The next challenge arrives quickly, and it will be harder, as Algeria’s Madjid Bougherra reminded all when he spoke of rising standards. Yet for Uganda, belief is no longer a theory, it is a habit forged in the heat of Namboole, and the quarter-finals await.
