MATCH FACTS: South Africa face must-win battle against co-hosts Uganda

A draw in Kampala on Monday will be enough for Uganda to reach the quarter-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024, while South Africa must likely win to advance.

This is the first-ever CHAN meeting between Uganda and South Africa. It is also South Africa’s first match against an East African opponent and their first against a host nation at the tournament.

For Uganda, South Africa will be the 19th different team they have faced at CHAN, while the Cranes are South Africa’s ninth different opponent in the competition.

Uganda have struggled historically against teams from Southern Africa, facing COSAFA members five times without a win (D2 L3). They drew twice with Zimbabwe (0-0 in 2014 and 1-1 in 2016) but lost three times to Zambia and Namibia between 2016 and 2018. They also failed to score in three of those four fixtures.

The stakes are clear: a Ugandan win secures top spot in the group, while victory for South Africa would see them qualify instead. A draw would confirm Uganda’s first-ever progression to the knockout stages. Even with a defeat, Uganda could still advance if Algeria lose to Niger.

 

South Africa – Key Facts

·       Unbeaten in their first three games; drew 0-0 with Niger. Only the second time they have gone three successive games without defeat (also in 2011).

·       Never previously gone four games without a loss at a single CHAN edition.

·       The 0-0 draw with Niger was their first goalless game in 10 CHAN matches.

·       The clean sheet against Niger was their first of this tournament and only their second at CHAN. The other was also against Niger in 2011 (2-0).

·       Had conceded in seven successive games before that clean sheet.

·       Another clean sheet would mark their first consecutive shutouts at CHAN.

·       Reaching the knockouts would be their second progression beyond the group stage after 2011.

·       Attempted 435 passes against Niger (364 completed), their highest at this edition.

·       Malibongwe Khoza had 105 touches, made 73 passes and completed 65, all game highs.

·       Khoza’s 93 passes against Niger were the most by a South African in a single CHAN 2024 match.

·       Had nine shots against Niger, their most in a game so far (five on target).

 

Uganda – Key Facts

·       Playing a fourth game at CHAN for the first time.

·       Would reach the quarter-finals for the first time in seven appearances.

·       Had only two wins in 18 CHAN matches before this edition; already two wins in three games here.

·       Won back-to-back games for the first time (3-0 Guinea, 2-0 Niger).

·       Only the second time they have avoided defeat in successive games (also in 2014).

·       Have kept consecutive clean sheets for the first time.

·       Their five goals are the most scored at a single CHAN edition; previous best was three.

·       Three matches have produced eight goals; their most in an edition was 10 in 2020.

·       Four different scorers among their five goals; only Allan Okello has more than one.

·       Okello has scored in two straight games, first Ugandan to do so since 2020.

·       If Okello scores again, he will be the first Ugandan to score in three games at one edition, and the second to score three in a single edition after Yunus Sentamu (2014).

·       Okello has three goal involvements (two goals, one assist).

·       He scored and assisted in the 2-0 win over Niger.

·       In all three games so far, only the winning team has scored.

·       Three of their five goals have come in the second half; both goals conceded also after halftime.

·       None of their three matches has been goalless at halftime.

·       Their last five CHAN games have had first-half goals; the last 0-0 at halftime was against DR Congo in 2022.