COSAFA Cup Plate Semi-Final Report: Uganda v South Africa 04 June 2019

19-year-old Ugandan left-winger Mustafa Kizza was the outstanding performer on the pitch in the opening exchanges and forced Bafana goalkeeper Mondli Mpoto in to a good save with a rasping long-range effort towards the top right-hand corner.   Bafana were living dangerously. Soon after, Cranes captain Isaac Isinde played a ball over the top for Dan Serunkuma, who delivered in to the box. Bafana made a hash of clearing their lines and the ball almost fell for a Ugandan to tap home, but the danger was averted by Mpoto, who got down bravely.

The hosts were forced in to an early change with the injured Bongani Sam being replaced by Jamie Webber.   In the 17th minute, Bafana centre-back Keanu Cupido headed against the crossbar. Indeed, the visitors were generally looking shaky defending balls being delivered in to the box.   The hosts were being exposed down their right-hand side, with Kizza continuing to make plenty of inroads whilst linking up well with another standout in Serunkuma.   Five minutes before the interval, Luther Singh's well-struck long-range effort went narrowly over the cross-bar after Bafana had sprung a quick counter-attack with some silky passing and movement.

It took a minute and a half in to the second half for Uganda to take the lead. Juma Balinya played a superb through-ball to release Serunkuma in to the box, who placed his effort clinically in to the bottom left-hand corner.   Bafana almost equalised in the 52nd minute when Jemondre Dickens turned his man brilliantly to get himself through on goal but fired over.   Soon after, Balinya brought a fantastic save out of Mpoto before the Bafana goalkeeper got down low to deny Isinde's header from the resulting corner.   Chances were being created thick and fast with Webber the next to test the opposition goalkeeper. Cape Town City star Gift Links then unleashed a powerful left-footed volley which sailed just wide of the left-hand upright in the 60th minute.   Bafana equalised in the 73rd minute. Dickens won the ball back in midfield, surged forward and slipped the ball in to the feet of Singh, who struck a thunderbolt in to the roof of the net with Lukwago getting a hand to the ball on its way in.   Bafana had a golden opportunity to snatch it at the death but Singh and Kgaogelo Sekgota were denied by a heroic double save from Lukwago as the match went to penalties.   Mpoto brilliantly saved the Cranes' opening two penalties from Kizza and Muzamiru Mutyaba. Bafana netted all of theirs with Webber converting the winning spot-kick to seal their progress to the final.