Amajimbos coach Vela Khumalo says he and his side have learnt valuable lessons following their exit from the 2026 Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in the group stage. The tournament is being held in Morocco.
The result also meant that the South African junior national team missed out on an opportunity to qualify for the Under-17 Fifa World Cup, which is set to be held in Qatar in November this year.
Amajimbos succumbed to a disappointing 3-1 defeat to Ghana in their final Group D match in Rabat. Khumalo’s side needed a win to advance to the next stage of the competition and ultimately book a ticket to the World Cup.
However, the defeat meant their opening-game win over tournament favourites Senegal went in vain, as they finished bottom of the group. Amajimbos also lost 2-0 to Algeria in their second match of the tournament.
Reacting to the result and their overall performance at the Afcon, Khumalo admitted that their goal was to advance to the knockout stages and secure a spot in the World Cup.
“We are not happy with the results. We wanted to be part of the knockout stage and go to the World Cup, but we did not make it,” Khumalo said.
“Sad for the talent that we have, sad for the boys that are not going through, but we will see them again in the next COSAFA competition. It is back to square one with a new group. But I think again, lessons learnt and we move on,” Khumalo added.
The team went into the Afcon without a single international friendly match, which was evident throughout the tournament against some of the best talent in the world.
With competitions coming thick and fast, Khumalo, who has been steering the Under-17 ship, will be hoping that the SA Football Association (Safa) will help prepare the team well enough ahead of the next World Cup in Qatar again next year.
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- Amajimbos were eliminated in the group stage of the 2026 Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, missing out on World Cup qualification.
- South Africa lost 3-1 to Ghana in their final group match, needing a win to advance but instead finishing bottom of Group D.
- Earlier, they defeated Senegal but lost 2-0 to Algeria, resulting in their failure to progress to the knockout rounds.
- Coach Vela Khumalo expressed disappointment but emphasized the lessons learned and the team's potential for future competitions.
- The team entered the tournament without any international friendlies, highlighting the need for better preparation ahead of upcoming tournaments and World Cup qualifiers.
However, the defeat meant their opening-game win over tournament favourites Senegal went in vain, as they finished bottom of the group.
“We are not happy with the results. We wanted to be part of the knockout stage and go to the World Cup, but we did not make it,”
“Sad for the talent that we have, sad for the boys that are not going through, but we will see them again in the next COSAFA competition. It is back to square one with a new group. But I think again, lessons learnt and we move on,”
