Thapelo Morena and Patrick Maswanganyi were the goalscorers as Bafana Bafana produced a clinical display to defeat Uganda 2-0 at Mandela National Stadium on Friday.

This victory propelled Bafana Bafana to the top of Group K in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, with 11 points from five matches, surpassing Uganda’s 10 points.

However, it was the second-half substitutions of Mamelodi Sundowns’ Morena and Orlando Pirates’ Maswanganyi that truly changed the game for Bafana Bafana, despite having already secured qualification.

The first half was characterized by a lack of urgency and creativity. While Oswin Appollis showed flashes of brilliance, he was inconsistent and failed to consistently demand the ball. The early qualification seemed to have dampened the intensity of the match, as both teams appeared content to conserve energy.

The well-manicured pitch at Mandela National Stadium offered no excuses for the lackluster performance in the first half. Bafana Bafana missed the creativity and playmaking ability of Themba Zwane, as Luke le Roux struggled to fill the void.

At halftime, Bafana coach Hugo Broos made a tactical substitution, replacing Elias Mokwana with Morena. This proved to be an inspired decision, as Morena quickly made an impact. He capitalized on a defensive error by Uganda’s Taddeo Lwanga to open the scoring just four minutes into the second half.

Uganda had a chance to equalize when Jude Ssemugabi intercepted a back pass from Rushwin Dortley, but he failed to capitalize on the opportunity.

Bafana Bafana continued to dominate the game, and Iqraam Rayners had a golden chance to double the lead but missed an open net. However, Maswanganyi sealed the victory in the 89th minute with a well-taken goal, turning his marker before firing at the bottom corner.

This victory marked a significant improvement from Bafana Bafana’s previous encounter with Uganda, where they were forced to come from behind to secure a 2-2 draw.

Bafana Bafana will conclude their Group K campaign against South Sudan at DHL Stadium on Tuesday. A win in this match will secure their position at the top of the group, regardless of the outcome of Uganda’s game against Congo.