Debutant Evidence Makgoba came off the bench to kick the Hugo Broos era off with a 3-1 comeback victory over Uganda last night.
With the coach watching from his home in Belgium, his assistant Helman Mkhalele gave nine debutants their first taste of international football at the Orlando Stadium.
Seven of those started as the hosts found themselves a goal down after just 17 minutes when Ibrahim Orit beat skipper Ronwen Williams with a diving header at the far post and rode their luck as Cranes skipper Emmanuel Okwi dragged his shot wide with only Williams to beat.
But halftime substitutes Makgoba and Thabiso Kutumela got SA level in the 62nd minute when the former steered Kutumela’s cross in at the near post.
Bongokuhle Hlongwane, in his second international, then made it 2-1 when he cut in off the right to fire in off the far post with a sweet left-foot strike.
Bafana weren’t done though, as the PSL Young Player of the Season Makgoba drilled in across the goal after a clever dummy from Ethan Brooks played in him, before Uganda got a late goal.
matthew.marcus@inl.co.za