With their convincing 5-0 victory over Congo at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Friday night, South Africa made significant progress towards earning a spot in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
At the top of Group K, Bafana Bafana tied Uganda on seven points, taking a four-point advantage over the Red Devils in third place (South Sudan completed the group with 0 points) and potentially one victory away from sealing a spot at the next Nations Cup.
Teboho Mokoena, a midfielder for South Africa, scored with a downward header in the 13th minute after being set up by Oswin Appollis’ corner ball. South Africa was off to a fast start.
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Mokoena then added a second goal in the 27th minute with a strike that was beyond custodian Christoffer Mafoumbi’s reach.
Mokoena turned on the outskirts of the penalty box and fired off an unstoppable shot.
The game had to be temporarily stopped until security was strengthened because after both goals, home fans ran onto the field to celebrate with the players.
Bafana Bafana scored a third goal shortly after the stoppage, with Bathusi Aubaas scoring his first goal for the national side after another superb Appollis delivery from a corner kick in the 36th minute found the back of the net.
At 44 minutes, Vieljeux Mboungou put in a cross from the left to find Mons Bassouamina at the far post, but Bassouamina missed the mark with his header to deny Congo a chance to tie the score.
Seven minutes into the second half, Elias Mokwana, who had previously beaten the keeper with a superb through ball and sent a cunning, tempting pass into space in the box, gave South Africa even more of a lead.
Lyle Foster finished from close range to make it 4-0. After a collision with the custodian, Foster had extensive on-field treatment before Iqraam Rayners replaced him, and his match ultimately finished with an injury cloud.
In the 78th minute, Hugo Broos’s team put on a fantastic display when Rayners himself scored.
He did this by intercepting a careless pass from Mafoumbi and shooting into an open net.
On Tuesday, October 15, at the Alphonse Massamba-Debat Stadium in Brazzaville, the teams will play a return encounter.