AFCON: Cranes determined to complete the job against Bafana

Uganda are on the verge of qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in four years, and midfielder Bobosi Byaruhanga has emphasised that they must "complete the job" against Bafana Bafana.

The Cranes will host the South African side in their penultimate qualifier for the 2025 Afcon finals at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Kampala on Friday, holding the upper hand in Group K.

Currently, Uganda sit at the top of their group with 10 points, two clear of Bafana Bafana, thanks to an impressive record of three wins and one draw from their opening four matches. Their earlier encounter with South Africa ended in a draw, which provides additional confidence as they prepare for the return leg at home.

A single point from this match will be sufficient for Uganda to secure their qualification, making them the favourites heading into the clash. Moreover, they will be backed by a passionate home crowd, often referred to as the "12th man" in football.

Despite the odds seemingly favouring them, Byaruhanga has called on his teammates to give their utmost in their pursuit of qualification. He remarked on the significance of this match, as it represents a historic opportunity for the Cranes to return to the continental showpiece for the first time since 2019, when they were eliminated in the group stage in Egypt.

“I am just trying to do my best. I try to give 100%. The only thing that I need to do is try and go out there and give 100%,” Byaruhanga said.

“The results are never in our hands. As players, we need to go out there and give 200%. Come Friday, we need anyone and everyone else to do it for us. It doesn’t matter whether it’s me or the other player, but the most important thing for us is to go through to the Afcon.”

The Cranes, like their counterparts, assembled for training camp this week, and coach Paul Put noted that their first session on Monday was challenging, partially due to waiting for some players to arrive.

Byaruhanga acknowledged their team was not yet at full strength, but expressed satisfaction with the enthusiasm and effort shown by his teammates, especially as they approach such a critical game.

“We’ve had the first training, and the mood was right – everyone knows we need to qualify and the most important thing on Friday is the qualification,” Byaruhanga said.

“Everyone is working hard at training. We still have some missing players, but everyone is coming in. We have the same mentality which is qualification.”