Kutumela rediscovering his form at CHAN tournament in Uganda

Thabiso Kutumela is thriving in the settled environment of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) camp in Kampala, a feeling of satisfaction that is translating into stellar performances on the field.

The striker has already found the back of the net twice in the group stage, scoring in the 1-1 draw against Algeria and the 2-1 victory over Guinea, a performance that also earned him the Man of the Match award.

Kutumela, who is a free agent after parting ways with Betway Premiership side Richards Bay FC at the end of last season, credits the positive atmosphere created by coach Molefi Ntseki and the technical staff for helping him rediscover his form. “I’m happy for myself and for the team, we’re progressing so well,” he said.

“When you get the chance and your confidence is going up, it means you’re getting to what you’re best at. This means you’re happy where you are, you have to accept and adapt to it, give more at every training session and score more goals, so that it becomes easier for you when you get to the game.”

The South African squad, however, felt the effects of fatigue during their recent match against Guinea. Kutumela attributed this to a lack of regular playing time at his club last season.

“For me personally, I did not play for a long time,” he explained. “I managed to train alone by myself, but, you know, when you go to the gym, it is not like a [competitive] game. So I think we were tired [against Guinea], yes. I think what made us tired was the first game [against Algeria] because it drained us.”

With four points from two games in Group C, South Africa now focuses on their next challenge against Niger on Friday, with the aim of securing a win and advancing in the tournament.

The CHAN competition, which features domestically-based players, is being held across Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda from August 2-30, 2025.

On to the next chapter as we continue on this African Nations Championship journey…. pic.twitter.com/7sfdzhR0My

— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) August 13, 2025