“Yes, another win, congratulations to the boys,” said Mdaka.
South African Under-20 coach Raymond Mdaka has praised his side’s character and tactical maturity after they beat Nigeria on Thursday to reach the final of the Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Tylon Smith scored the only goal of the match as Amajita beat the Flying Eagles 1-0 in a semifinal match played at the Suez Canal Stadium in Egypt on Thursday night.
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Speaking after the game, Mdaka said they have grown with each passing game in the tournament and shown a lot of character.
“Yes, another win, congratulations to the boys. What a good job, good character, very disciplined, sticking to the agreements, tactical, technical. We really appreciate it,” Mdaka told SAFA media.
Amajita started their AFCON campaign with a defeat to the hosts Egypt, but they regrouped to eventually march to the final for the first time in 28 years.
Their last appearance in the Afcon finals was back in 1997, where they lost against Morocco. Ironically, they will face the same opponent in the final at the 30th June Stadium in Cairo on Sunday.
“As much it was not easy, our boys are growing in each and every match, growing in character and growing in everything. Thank you, so much and well-done boys, and well done for the country,” commented Mdaka.
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By reaching the semifinals of the AFCON, Amajita also qualified for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup, which will be held in Chile from 27 September to 19 October 2025.
