South Africa vs Kenya | Highlights | AFCON 2027 Qualifiers
South Africa seemed to have everything under control against Kenya, but the closing minutes brought an unexpected twist in the AFCON 2027 Qualifiers.
South Africa had a valuable opportunity to strengthen its position in Group D of the Africa Cup of Nations 2027 Qualifiers, but they faced a Kenya side that was determined to make things difficult. Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg provided the setting for a match that turned out to be far more challenging than the hosts had anticipated.
Led by Pitso Mosimane, South Africa took an early lead and appeared to be on course for the expected result. However, Benni McCarthy's side had other plans and kept fighting until the closing stages.
Ryan Ogam ruins South Africa's celebrations with a late equalizer
The match featured two moments that appeared to shape South Africa's chances of victory. First, an own goal by Amos Wanjala in the ninth minute gave Bafana Bafana the lead. Then, Michael Olunga converted a penalty in the 44th minute to bring Kenya level. When Relebohile Mofokeng scored to make it 2-1 in the 77th minute after combining with Lyle Foster, the hosts believed they had all three points in the bag.
However, the visitors had the final say. Ryan Ogam, who came on as a second-half substitute, found the net in the 89th minute to beat Ronwen Williams and make it 2-2. His goal silenced the home crowd and punished South Africa for failing to hold on to their advantage until the final whistle.
Kenya find reasons to celebrate as South Africa are left with questions
The draw represents an important result for Benni McCarthy, particularly considering how his team responded after falling behind twice. The goals from Olunga and Ogam showed that Kenya could find different ways to compete and ultimately take a valuable point away from a difficult away fixture.
For Pitso Mosimane, however, there are defensive mistakes to address after his team failed to close out the game. South Africa showed attacking quality but let a victory slip away when it seemed within reach during the closing minutes.
Group D standings and when South Africa and Kenya meet again
Following the draw, South Africa move to seven points and miss the opportunity to extend their advantage in Group D. Guinea, with six points, remain close behind, while Kenya move to two points. The Harambee Stars have already secured their place at AFCON 2027 as co-hosts, but this result could provide an important confidence boost for the team.
The rematch is just around the corner: South Africa and Kenya will meet again on Tuesday, November 17, this time at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi. Bafana Bafana will have an opportunity to make up for the dropped points, while McCarthy will look to build on his team's performance in Johannesburg and make life difficult for their opponents once again.
