The South Sudan national football team’s hopes of advancing in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers came to a heartbreaking conclusion on Tuesday, October 15.

In a thrilling match at Juba National Stadium, they fell 1-2 to the Uganda Cranes, marking the end of their qualification campaign.

Despite a strong Ugandan presence, making up 60% of the stadium, home fans remained optimistic about a potential victory to keep their AFCON dreams alive.

The Cranes struck first in the 15th minute with a well-placed shot from Denis Omedi, silencing the home crowd and putting South Sudan on the back foot early in the game.

Determined to fight back, South Sudan responded with intensity. Their persistence paid off in the 21st minute when striker Youhnna Pualino, known as Sisi, found the net with a powerful shot from outside the 18-yard box, leveling the score and igniting cheers from the stands.

The second half brought heavy rain and increased intensity, with both teams creating scoring opportunities.

Unfortunately for South Sudan, a defensive lapse allowed Uganda’s Timothy Denis to score the decisive goal in the 65th minute, putting the Cranes back in the lead.

Despite their best efforts to equalize, South Sudan’s attempts were thwarted by a resolute Ugandan defence, and the match ended 1-2 in favour of the visitors.

This defeat concludes South Sudan’s AFCON qualification journey, leaving them without points after losing all four matches to Congo, South Africa, and Uganda, much to the disappointment of players and fans alike.

Despite the disappointing outcome, the national team demonstrated marked improvement throughout the tournament and aims to build on this experience for future competitions.

Coach Nicolas Dapuis expressed his disappointment but remains hopeful about continuing with the team.

“Today was difficult for us; the result reflects that they were better. We fought hard, but it wasn’t enough,” Nicolas said. “Drawing in the first half felt good, but the weather complicated things for us.”

He added, “I would like to continue, and if the players want me to, we’ll discuss it later.”

For Uganda, this victory likely secures their spot in the AFCON finals.

As for South Sudan, the focus will now shift to regrouping and preparing for upcoming challenges, with an enduring belief that their time on the African football stage will come.