By Michael Madyira
Congo-Brazzaville came from behind to hold Bafana Bafana 1-1 at Stade Alphonse Massamba-Debat on Tuesday for a hiccup on South Africa’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification quest.
Elias Mokwana thrust Hugo Broos’ men ahead on 33 minutes before Mons Bassouamina hit back for the hosts in stoppage time of the first half.
Bafana will now have to wait a bit longer to confirm a berth at Morocco 2025 on a day Group K leaders Uganda booked an Afcon ticket after beating basement side South Sudan 2-1 away.
Second-placed South Africa have two points fewer than Uganda with two games to go against the Cranes away and South Sudan at home.
Congo have a slim chance of qualifying and remain third with four points less than Broos’ side.
Although they missed out on an early booking of an Afcon place, Bafana are unbeaten in their last 17 matches inside regulation time except for the penalty shootout loss to Nigeria at the 2023 Afcon finals.
On Tuesday, Congo made five changes including goalkeeper Christoffer Mafoumbi making way for France-born Trey Vimalin.
Coach Isaac N’Gata also brought in the centre-back pairing of Janard Mbemba and Bryan Passi for Christ Makosso and Ryan Bidounga as he tried to tighten things at the back after being porous in the reverse fixture.
N’Gata’s opposite number Broos made just one change from the Gqeberha match by replacing injured Lyle Foster with Iqraam Rayners.
The Stade Alphonse Massamba-Débat’s synthetic pitch did not seem to trouble Bafana who are familiar with such a surface, which they played on in Rwanda and South Sudan in the past year.
With 11 minutes having been played, Themba Zwane drew the best out of Vimalin who saved his shot from inside the box.
Congo had left-back Lois Fauriel making a goalline clearance of a Rushwin Dortley-headed effort.
Bafana’s breakthrough then came when Mokwana was initially denied by Vimalin but got it right on the follow-up.
Being away, Bafana banked on Zwane’e experience but the Sundowns captain was stretchered off the pitch five minutes before halftime with Patrick Maswanganyi replacing him.
Congo thought they had equalised but Bassouamina’s well-struck goal was ruled to have been scored from an offside position.
Bassouamina’s persistence then paid off when he beat Williams with a low shot while under the challenge of Grant Kekana and Dortley.
It was an unlucky day for the home side who watched Passi being denied by the crossbar six minutes into the second half and the contest remained one-apiece until the end.
Pictured above: Bafana Bafana players celebrating.
Source: Bafana Bafana
