Mdaka urges South Africa U23s to respect Madagascar after narrow qualifier win

Raymond Mdaka has warned South Africa’s U23 team that complacency could prove costly after they secured a 1-0 victory over Madagascar in the second round of the CAF Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Egypt 2027 qualifiers.

Amaglug-glug, who were given a first-round bye because of their performances at the previous three editions of the competition, edged Madagascar at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday.

Although the match was played in Atteridgeville, it was officially regarded as an away fixture for South Africa. The result therefore gives them an away-goal advantage before the second leg on Tuesday at 20:00.

Mdaka believes South Africa must avoid assuming they are automatically superior to opponents from the COSAFA region, despite the strength of their squad.

“You always think twice about playing Angola, Zambia, or Mozambique. Honestly, I think there is a lot of improvement among the teams that we are playing against,” he said.

“You can also attest to that today (Saturday) with what you saw from Madagascar. There is no team that you can look down on and say, ‘No, I’m a South African.’ No ways! No! They are very good. Football has improved a lot among the COSAFA countries.”

The South African squad includes several players from the Premier Soccer League, such as Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Mfundo Vilakazi and Orlando Pirates players Neo Rapoo, Camren Dansin and Simphiwe Selepe.

Europe-based internationals Thato Sibiya, Shandre Campbell and Tylon Smith are also part of the team, leading to expectations that South Africa will reach the finals.

However, Madagascar limited them to a single goal in the opening match. Mdaka expects his side to be better prepared for the return fixture after gaining a clearer understanding of their opponents.

“For the technical team, at least we’ve got something to work off. (You) Opponents cannot change overnight, so seeing them once means 50% of what we’re doing is already mapped out. We went into this game without any technical analysis of the opposition,” he said.

“They were a closed book, very closed, whereas they knew all about us. What we gathered from the first leg will help us understand the kind of players we are up against and their style of play.”

Fourteen nations will advance from the second round to the decisive third round. Seven two-legged ties will then determine which teams join hosts Egypt at the finals.

CAF has not yet confirmed the dates for the tournament. The third-round first legs are scheduled for March 22, with the return matches to be played on March 30.

The seven aggregate winners will qualify for the U-23 AFCON Egypt 2027. The tournament’s finalists will also qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.