After the SA Under-17s did the job in Morocco and secured their place in the Fifa World Cup
later this year, it is now over to Amajita, the SA Under-20 junior national team, to emulate them and achieve the same feat at their Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Egypt.
Amajita will open their Under-20 Afcon account against the host nation at the Cairo
International Stadium tonight. The game will get underway at 8pm (SA time).
South Africa has been pitted against Zambia, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and the Egyptians in Group A.
Despite the main objective being to qualify for the World Cup that will be staged in Chile in September, Amajita coach Raymond Mdaka said his side would leave no stone unturned, as it is going to the competition to win it.
“The objective and approach to the tournament remain the same, which are to go out there and compete. I always encourage my boys to have the same belief and attitude we had, building up to this tournament,” Mdaka said on the eve of their long trip to Cairo.
In terms of facing the hosts in the opening match, the coach said they could not have asked for a better start to the tournament than playing against a strong team, as it will set the tone for them.
“It’s a blessing for us that we are playing the first game against them (Egypt) because there’ll be no calculations or too much pressure because it is only the beginning of the competition. So, I think it’s going to be an open game,” Mdaka concluded.
Neo Rapoo, who is set to join the team late after his game with SuperSport United yesterday, has since emphasised the importance of having a good start to the competition.
“We just have to have a good start at the Afcon [against Egypt]; we are gelling together as a team; play as a team and just represent the country well,” Rapoo told Sunday World.
“I am confident in the team that we will do well because we have an abundance of quality players. Some of us play for big teams and are used to the intensity in the PSL; so that too will help us match our opponents.”
