Mdaka urges South Africa Under-20s to maintain momentum against Eswatini

South Africa Under-20 coach Raymond Mdaka has called on his side to maintain their momentum when they face Eswatini in their final Group B match at the U20 Africa Cup of Nations COSAFA qualifiers in Mozambique this afternoon.

The defending champions lead the group after victories over Lesotho and Angola, winning 3-0 and 2-0 respectively. Those results have left Amajita on the brink of reaching the next stage.

A draw will be enough for South Africa to secure a place in the semi-finals. Eswatini, however, must win and also rely on a favourable result in the other group decider between Dikwena and Angola if they are to progress.

Mdaka said he was encouraged by the team’s development during the tournament and confirmed that he would make changes for Tuesday’s game.

“We are still in a tournament, we are done with the first and second games, and now our focus is on the next fixture,” Mdaka told SAFA.net.

“The good thing is we see a lot of improvement with each match. We will obviously have some fresh legs here and there. Remember, we picked everybody so they can play, but we must balance it out well in terms of which country are we facing and how do we want to play.”

The coach also wants to give members of the squad an opportunity to demonstrate what they can contribute, while ensuring the side’s standards do not fall.

“We also want to give others a chance to see how they show up. But it is very important that we don’t drop the momentum,” he added.

South Africa opened their campaign with a 3-0 win over Lesotho before following it up with a 2-0 victory against Angola. Their performances have improved with each match, according to Mdaka, who emphasised the need for the team to continue creating chances.

“We have to keep going and emphasize on that, which makes us look good and helps us in creating scoring opportunities,” he said.

“Every game becomes a new game and gives us a fresh start. We must put in one hundred percent.”