Bafana Bafana surrendered a late lead to draw 2-2 with Kenya in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at Orlando Stadium, Soweto, on Friday, 13 November 2026. The result ended South Africa’s perfect start in Group D and left them on seven points after three matches, just one point ahead of Guinea.
South Africa opened the scoring through an own goal by Kenya’s Amos Wanjala. Kenya responded with a penalty converted by Michael Olunga before halftime to level the match. Relebohile Mofokeng restored the South African lead in the 77th minute, but Kenya struck back with a late equaliser through Ryan Ogam just before full-time, securing a 2-2 draw.
Speaking at a post-match press briefing, Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane expressed frustration over the team’s lapses late in the game. “When a team concedes a goal at that time, you can say we lost concentration, we could have done better,” Mosimane said. He lamented the missed opportunities, emphasising the importance of finishing chances rather than just creating them.
“Football tells you that it’s not about ball possession and it’s not about how many chances you create, it’s about how many chances you take and Kenya showed that,” Mosimane added, underscoring the fine margins that decided the match.
This draw marked South Africa’s first dropped points in the ongoing AFCON qualification campaign and highlighted shortcomings in the final third where Bafana struggled to convert chances into goals despite dominating possession.
The match was contested fiercely at Orlando Stadium, widely recognised as the official venue, with fans witnessing a mix of resilience and costly errors from the home side. Kenya’s late goal exposed vulnerabilities in South Africa’s defence and concentration at critical moments.
With seven points from three games, South Africa still sits atop Group D but now faces increased competition from Guinea and Kenya for qualification spots. Mosimane’s reaction reflects growing pressure on the squad to maintain focus and improve finishing in upcoming fixtures.
Many supporters at the stadium voiced disappointment, with some pointing to missed chances as the defining factor. One attendee said, “We had them covered, but you can’t give away leads like that. We need sharper strikers in front of goal.”
South Africa’s next qualifier is scheduled later this month, where the team will aim to regain momentum and secure a crucial win to bolster their campaign. Observers will be watching closely to see if Mosimane’s side can address the issues that prevented them from closing out this match.
At this stage, precise timing of Kenya’s equaliser remains unconfirmed between the 89th minute and stoppage time, pending official match report details. The broader claim that Mosimane is under sustained managerial pressure lacks direct confirmation and remains speculative.