Bafana Bafana Gear Up for 2025 AFCON Qualifier Against Uganda

Bafana Bafana are set to kick off their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign with a crucial match against Uganda at Orlando Stadium this Friday. The team performed well at the last AFCON making the semi-finals for the first time in 20+ years, and qualifying for the next tournament is a minimum expectation. It shows how far the national team has come under Hugo Broos, with optimism and hope attached to the brand more than doom & gloom. We preview the first qualifier.

Squad Options

SA coach Hugo Broos is evaluating his squad options all around the field with the Premier Soccer League 2024/25 season yet to properly begin. So far, only a few teams have played competitive matches – including MTN8 finalists Orlando Pirates and Stellenbosch FC.  The added continental competitions have allowed those two teams more game time than others which may have given their players an edge for selection come this international break.

17/19 – 17 of the 19 local-based players belong to teams that featured in the MTN8.

Elsewhere, the absence and injury of goalkeeper & captain Ronwen Williams also gives other goalkeepers a chance to make their mark – Sipho Chaine (Orlando Pirates), Ricardo Goss (SuperSport United), and Veli Mothwa (AmaZulu FC). It will be interesting to see who starts one or both games. In the forward line, Broos will be without key players Evidence Makgopa of Pirates and Percy Tau of Al Ahly, both of whom were instrumental in Bafana Bafana’s recent Nations Cup campaign. Their absence due to limited club action this season presents another challenge for the coach. But Lyle Forster is back in the side from Burnley, after missing a few Bafana games.

Home Record

Bafana Bafana’s home is strong, and they will be aiming to extend their unbeaten run at Orlando Stadium. Bafana Bafana have lost only two of their last 16 competitive matches, both away from home, and have been particularly solid defensively, conceding just two goals in their five home games this calendar year. 

Key Players

The likes of Thalente Mbatha, Fawaaz Basadien, Siyabonga Ngezana and Relebohile Mofokeng were not part of the AFCON squad and will be hoping to impress in international colours. Some have switched clubs during the transfer window and will be looking to make their mark on the international stage before the club season begins. Among these is new Mamelodi Sundowns player Iqraam Rayners.

Iqraam Rayners

Rayners recently moved club and was cup-tied in Sundowns’ loss against Stellenbosch. The game against Uganda will be his next opportunity to play competitive football before he makes his club debut for Sundowns in two weeks. With different options available to Broos and Rayners goal average of scoring every two games for Stellenbosch FC last term – he could potentially lead the line for Bafana Bafana.

His 2023/24 club shot map whilst at Stellenbosch saw him take shots more from inside the penalty area and also centrally in front of goal, helping him convert a lot of his chances.

Fawaaz Basadien

Basadien is another player who has been earmarked to make the switch domestically. Another consistent player for Stellenbosch FC last term – he played 78% of the available minutes for his club. He scored one goal and assisted two last campaign and is already off the mark for 2024/25. His penalty goal last weekend gave Stellenbosch FC the winning goal over the defending league champions Sundowns.

3 – Basadien has scored three goals for Stellenbosch in four appearances this season, having scored just once in 65 appearances for the club before then. 

A win for Bafana Bafana would set them up nicely before they travel to face South Sudan on Tuesday 10th September. They need to finish in the Top2 to qualify for AFCON, with six qualifiers to play. In such a setup, 10 points should be enough, so home games will be key opportunities to rack up an early lead.