Uganda Secures AFCON 2025 Spot, South Sudan’s Hopes Dashed in Juba Clash

In a gripping showdown at Juba Stadium, the hopes of the South Sudan Senior Men’s National Team to qualify for the AFCON 2025 were swept away as Uganda’s Cranes triumphed 2-1 on Tuesday evening. The match not only signified Uganda’s advance to the AFCON tournament in Morocco, but also left South Sudan at the bottom of the qualifying table with no points from four matches.

Uganda’s Denise Omedi opened the scoring just 15 minutes into the match, sending an early wave of excitement through the visiting supporters. However, South Sudan’s Yahanna Paulino Juma responded quickly, leveling the score with a goal six minutes later, showcasing the Bright Stars’ resilience.

Despite being dominated for large stretches of the game, South Sudan created a couple of promising opportunities, including a near miss by Juma in stoppage time of the first half from a corner kick. As the teams headed into halftime, the game was eerily balanced at 1-1.

The second half witnessed a relentless barrage from the Uganda Cranes as Coach Paul Put made tactical changes to bolster his offense. Substitute Steve Dese Mukwala and Jude Ssemugabi were introduced in the 55th minute, and their impact was immediate. A well-placed free kick by Travis Mutyaba led to an unexpected own goal by South Sudan’s Alfred Laku in the 64th minute, sealing Uganda’s fate for qualification.

This match marked South Sudan’s second defeat to Uganda in five days, following a narrow 1-0 loss at Mandela National Stadium the previous week. After this latest defeat, the Bright Stars have officially bowed out of the AFCON qualifiers.

In the aftermath, South Sudan’s Head Coach Nicolas Dupuis expressed a desire to continue his role, stating, *”The players love me, but if they want to sack me, so be it.”* The fate of the team’s technical staff remains uncertain as discussions with the football federation are anticipated.

With this victory, Uganda sits comfortably atop the Group B table with 10 points, poised ahead of their final matches against South Africa and Congo Brazzaville. The Cranes now look forward to a celebratory journey to the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, while South Sudan faces a rebuilding phase in their quest for future tournaments.

Should South Africa who won against Congo Brazzaville will join Uganda Cranes as they tied up with 10 points and automatically earn a slot in the AFCON finals in Morocco