Amajimbos head for Burkina Faso
Amajimbos head for Burkina Faso
Posted: 2010-09-07 15:44
The South African Under-17 National team is ready to make their way to Burkina Faso for the return leg of their African Youth Championship qualifier which will be played on Saturday in Ougadougou.
The Amajimbos will fly out at just after midnight tonight.
The team started their AYC campaign on a high after defeating Burkina Faso by four goals to two (4-2) in the first leg qualifier played at the Makhulong Stadium in Tembisa two weeks ago.
In that match, the hosts were 2-0 down at the break, but staged a great comeback, scoring four goals in the second half to emerge victorious. Thabani Mthembu scored three of the four goals while the other came from Phakamani Mngadi.
Coach Mandla Mazibuko, who has been assisting head coach Solly Luvhengo with Amajimbos for more than a year, will be preparing the team in Luvhengo's absence.
Luvhengo is in Trinidad and Tobago leading the South African Under-17 Women's team at the Fifa Under-17 Women's World Cup which kicked off on Sunday.
Mazibuko says the team looks confident after the first hurdle of the first leg.
"The atmosphere in camp is positive, we are going to Burkina Faso with one goal in mind and that is to qualify for next year's African Youth Championship in Rwanda.
"We have a comfortable lead but we need not be complacent because they managed to score two goals away from home so they will be a bit difficult to deal with at home. We cannot afford to sit back and defend our lead, so our focus is on scoring more and at the same time ensuring that we don't concede.
"We know where we went wrong in the first leg and we are working very hard to rectify those mistakes and that is what we have been concentrating on this week," said Mazibuko.
The squad is:
Goalkeepers - Njabulo Kubheka (SuperSport United), Stanton WeirAjax (Cape Town), Scele Cele (Golden Arrows)
Defenders – (Siyabulela Mose (Mamelodi Sundowns), Nthuthuko Radebe (Aspire Academy (Qatar), Thabo Moloi (SuperSport United), Jino Moeketsi (SuperSport United), Nkululeko Tshangane (Kaizer Chiefs), Khumbulani Mkhize (Orlando Pirates), Menzi Ngcobo Orlando (Pirates)
Midfielders - Happy Simelela (Aspire Academy (Qatar), Phakamani Mngadi (Aspire Academy (Qatar), Thabo Zungu (SuperSport United), Sandile Khoza (OrlandoPirates), Boitumelo Xaba (Kaizer Chiefs), Maselaelo Seanego (Kaizer Chiefs), Lehlohonolo Makara (Junior Lions)
Strikers – Simukelo Zondi (Fubs United), Thabani Mthembu (Kaizer Chiefs), Siseko Manona (School of Excellence)
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