Vela Khumalo: “We need to be aggressive in the last third”
After qualifying for the u17 FIFA World Cup, coach Vela Khumalo told SuperSport Schools Plus that the South African national team is in high spirits as they gear up for their u17 Afcon quarterfinal against Morocco on Thursday 10 April, at Stade El Bachir, in Mohammedia.
Khumalo said the Amajimbos‘ qualification for the u17 FIFA World Cup was a happy, exciting, and significant achievement
He reflected on the journey of his team since the implementation of the FIFA Talent Development Scheme (TDS) in 2023.
The initiative has served as a strategic framework for the advancement of South African football and has contributed to the growth of the current generation, offering the players advantages that weren’t previously available to them.
“The journey has been very important and significant for the growth of the boys and the technical team,” Khumalo said. “This is the beginning of great things for the future of the players.
“TDS played a significant role in making sure that we unearth this talent that is going to the biggest stage of the football life,” he added
Casting an eye towards South Africa’s forthcoming showdown with Morocco, Khumalo said his team needs to seize the opportunity in front of them.
“We had our post-match presentation [after our last match against Cameroon] and we realised that we need to be a bit more aggressive in the last third and also try to minimise our mistakes,” he said.
Quarterfinals
Thursday, 10 April
17:00 – Larbi Zaouli Stadium – Burkina Faso vs Zambia
20:00 – Stade El Bachir Stadium – South Africa vs Morocco
Friday, 11 April
17:00 – Berrechid Stadium – Senegal vs Côte d’Ivoire
20:00 – El Abdi Stadium – Tunisia vs Mali
