Raymond Mdaka guides Amajita to COSAFA Championship glory

Coach Raymond Mdaka has guided Amajita to a COSAFA U20 Championship glory following their 2-0 win over Zambia in the tournament’s final in Matola, Mozambique, on Saturday afternoon.

Below are the talking points from this entertaining encounter.

ROAD TO THE FINALS FOR BOTH TEAMS

Amajita cruised their way into the final after their 1-0 win against Angola in the semi-final, maintaining their 100% win record.

Meanwhile, Zambia needed penalties to beat Zimbabwe in the semis after both sides settled for a 2-2 in regulation time. Zambia edged Zimbabwe in an epic penalty shoot-out, where they won 6-5 to reach the finals.

GOAL-SCORERS FOR AMAJITA

Shandre Campbell opened the scoring for the SA U20 side as early as four minutes into the contest, putting Amajita in front.

In the additional time before the interval, Jody Ah-Shene added to the scoreline to ensure Mdaka’s side went into halftime with a comfortable 2-0 lead.

It’s worth noting that Amajita hasn’t conceded a goal in this tournament and has scored an impressive 16 goals throughout the COSAFA U20 Championships competition.

CHANCE TO QUALIFY FOR FIFA UNDER-20 WORLD CUP

Both sides have qualified for the 2025 AFCON tournament, which gives them a shot at being one of four teams from Africa that will compete at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup, which will be held in Chile next year.

SHANDRE CAMPBELL, SIYABONGA MABENA, AND JODY AH-SHENE’S IMPACT

The trio’s partnership has been formidable for the SA U20 side, and their experience playing their respective teams has yielded fruitful results for the Mdaka-coached side.

Campbell, Ah-Shene, and Mabena turn out for Club NXT in Belgium, Cape Town City and Mamelodi Sundowns respectively. All the players scored important goals for Mzansi in this regional tournament.

RAYMOND MDAKA GUIDES AMAJITA TO THE AFCON TOURNAMENT

With all being said, Amajita have qualified for the 2025 U20 AFCON tournament for the first time in five years, thanks to the leadership of coach Raymond Mdaka and his technical team.

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