Bafana poised for AFCON slot

Top-tier club soccer takes a break for the next week, but there's plenty of exciting football on the menu with the final group games in AFCON and UEFA Nations League, plus several cash-boosted TAB soccer pools including a R4.3-million Soccer 13 carryover tomorrow.

-  Mark Gleeson

South Africa will look to secure their place at next year's Africa Cup of Nations finals when they go up against Uganda in Kampala on Friday - and if they do not come away with a win, they will still have a chance next week to book their place at the tournament in Morocco.

Bafana Bafana's penultimate Group K fixture on Friday will be a tough one to navigate as their Ugandan hosts need only draw to make sure of their progress. But South Africa did emerge victorious on their only previous visit to the Ugandan capital - albeit exactly 20 years ago in a World Cup qualifier - and Hugo Broos will be able to field a much stronger squad than fellow Belgian Paul Put, who coaches the hosts.

Uganda will have a rousing crowd in their favour, but sometimes that burden of expectation can sit heavily on a team's shoulders and be a disadvantage.