Debut hero Mbatha saves Bafana Bafana's blushes with crucial draw against spirited Uganda

Bafana had not tasted defeat in their previous four encounters against the East Africans, but the Cranes were two minutes away from sending a nearly 20,000-strong majority South African crowd home with a heartbreaking result.

Hugo Broos had tinkered with his preferred eleven, thrusting Veli Mothwa between the posts as Ballon d'Or nominated Ronwen Williams is nursing himself back to full health after shoulder surgery, while Rushwin Dortley slotted into defence alongside Ngezana for the first time, flanked by regulars Khuliso Mudau and Aubrey Modiba.

Up front, Oshwin Appollis sparked from the left, while Elias Mokwana started at right wing as Lyle Foster, who has something to prove, was welcomed to a starting berth for the first time since last year.

There were barely fifteen minutes on the clock, and the growing crowd at Orlando was on their feet celebrating as Foster latched onto a Mudau through ball and easily beat Uganda goalkeeper Isima Watenga to take a well-deserved lead.

By the half-time whistle, Bafana looked comfortable as Appollis, Foster, Mokwana and Mudau all had chances to further solidify the lead, and it was those chances that they would rue as soon as the second stanza commenced.

Five minutes after the restart, Uganda drew level.

Denis Omedi unleashed a thunderous strike at Mothwa's near post, leaving the AmaZulu goalkeeper with no chance to react due to its sheer speed and power.

Yet, it was the next moment that the 33-year-old will want to forget: a momentary lapse in concentration and a nearly 40-yard effort from Rogers Mayo.

Mothwa, who should have comfortably dealt with the shot, instead fumbled it into the back of the net, gifting Uganda a shock lead and silencing the Orlando crowd.

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