Bafana cruise past South Sudan to end 2024 on a high

Bafana Bafana applied the perfect finish to a superb year on Tuesday, thumping South Sudan 3-0 at the Cape Town Stadium to seal top spot in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying group.

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Hugo Broos’ side picked up an impressive 14 points out of 18 in Group K, and comfortably take their place in Morocco at the end of next year. In the more immediate future, Bafana will bid to qualify for the 2026 Fifa World Cup, with confidence in the national team at a height not seen in a long while.

Cape Town comes out for Bafana

A raucous atmosphere greeted Bafana in Cape Town Stadium, and they repaid a sell-out crowd by sprinting out of the blocks.

It took just seven minutes for Broos’ side to take the lead. Oswin Appollis has been fantastic for Bafana in these AFCON qualifiers. And he continued that form by jinking past two South Sudan defenders and playing the perfect cut back for Iqraam Rayners to fire into an empty net.

Broos made several changes for this game, including giving Orlando Pirates attacker Patrick Maswanganyi a first competitive start in Bafana colours.

In the 20^th minute ‘Tito’ brilliantly pulled down an Appollis cross, but his shot was saved by the busy away goalkeeper Majack Mawith.

Two minutes later, however, Maswanganyi was on hand to skilfully beat Mawith and slot home, after the South Sudan ‘keeper had badly fumbled a Teboho Mokoena shot. It was Maswanganyi’s second goal in four days, following on from his superbly-taken strike against Uganda.

Bafana had won a tense encounter 3-2 in Juba, but this was a totally one-sided affair. Rayners could have had a hat-trick by half time.

The Sundowns striker didn’t quite make the right run to meet club teammate Mokoena’s pass. And he then saw a shot saved by Mawith after he was sent clear by another fine Appollis pass.

Bafana captain Ronwen Williams, making his 50^th appearance, could have put on his dressing gown and slippers for most of this match.

But he did have to make a smart first half save from Yohanna Juma.

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Mokoena on the spot

It was Mokoena who made it 3-0 for Bafana in the 50th minute, drilling home a penalty, given after Khuliso Mudau went down in the box.

Bafana took their foot off the gas a little as the half wore on, but by then the deal was well and truly done. Broos could even afford the luxury of a raft of substitutions, including bringing on goalkeeper Sage Stephens for his Bafana debut in place of Williams.

Stellenbosh forward Devin Titus also came on for his AFCON qualifying debut. And he sliced a good late chance wide, before laying another opportunity on a plate for Rayners. But his former Stellies teammate somehow failed to divert the ball home.