Raymond Mdaka confident South Africa U23 can solve ‘closed book’ Madagascar

South Africa U23 coach Raymond Mdaka says his side will have to overcome a lack of information about Madagascar when the teams meet in back-to-back 2028 Olympic Games qualifiers.

The first leg will be played at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday at 3pm, with the return fixture taking place on Tuesday. Even analysts from the senior Bafana Bafana team have been unable to uncover much tactical detail about their opponents.

Mdaka admits Madagascar remain an unknown quantity, but believes his technical team can still prepare South Africa to win the tie and progress to the next round.

“Honestly, Madagascar is a closed book. We’ve tried with whoever including our senior team analyst. Because they were not there in 2024 when we were playing Cosafa in Mozambique, this is the age group,” Mdaka told the media.

“We checked almost everywhere where we thought we could find something, it remains a closed book. But other than that, we always have a way as a technical team and coaches to at least find something, which is a little bit difficult, but we will always have a way out.”

The winners would face either Rwanda or Cameroon in the third round, but Mdaka says South Africa are not looking beyond the two matches against Madagascar.

“As much as we are playing against a closed book, any team that comes and brings 11 players on the field … never undermines them,” he said.

“So, we are doing as we normally do, take each game as it comes. Once we are done with this, we will put all our efforts into what is coming next. We are not thinking much about who is coming next, we are thinking more of jumping this hurdle then we will be fine.”

Mdaka has previously led Amajita to Africa Cup of Nations and Cosafa Cup titles. His current objective is to help South Africa’s U23 side qualify for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028.

“It might not be for me only but let it be for the whole team, the technical team and doing such a great job for the country and also with this group we hope to do as much as we can to make sure that we possibly qualify for the Olympics,” he said.

“That’s what we are looking at, that’s what the boys know. We always share with them to say, this is a once in a life opportunity, you might not get it again.”