South Africa misses out on 2025 u17 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
South Africa was eliminated from the TotalEnergies CAF u17 Africa Cup of Nations | Cosafa qualifier after losing 1-2 to Zambia in the semi-finals at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) AW Muller in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
Many people called the clash the final before the final, with the winner expected to go on to claim the title.
The Zambian side and South Africa arrived with well-prepared, strong squads, ready to battle it out for a place in next year’s u17 Africa Cup of Nations. Unfortunately, for the host nation, their hopes were dashed.
They started well, though, snatching the lead in only the second minute when Simphiwe Mlondo scored following an excellent pass from Emile Witbooi, who posed a significant threat to Zambia with his impressive skills, passes, and well-timed runs. However, in the second half, Zambia effectively neutralised his impact.
The Zambians drew level when Abel Nyirongo converted a penalty.
The intensity of the match was not restricted to the playing field. In the stands, the rivalry was also palpable among the fans, who engaged in chants and banter as they got behind their teams. On the field, the game was characterised by physical contests, which presented the smaller South African players with a stiff challenge.
Witbooi, especially, was on the end of special attention, which led to him having a knee strapped within the first 20 minutes of the game.
The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, introduced by the Council of Southern Africa Football Association (Cosafa), was utilised during the semi-finals of both the boys’ and girls’ u17 Cosafa tournaments. It played a huge role in the match between South Africa and Zambia, which led to 20 minutes of stoppages in the first half due to several interruptions.
The game was filled with drama and confusion. In the 24th minute, Zambian midfielder Vincent Mutondo was shown a red card for a reckless tackle on Mlondo following an extensive VAR review. The Zambians were down to 10 men, but South Africa’s goalkeeper Lwandiso Radebe was also shown a red card shortly thereafter for handling the ball outside the penalty area. That decision was confirmed by the match official, Brighton Chimene, resulting in Radebe also exiting the contest early.
In the second half of the match, Zambia slotted a second goal in the 68th minute when the ball slipped through the legs of goalkeeper Lehlohonolo Mosia at the near post. Substitute Robert Banda quickly capitalised, scoring from within the goal area.
During that period of the match, South Africa struggled with ball retention, frequently conceding possession and allowing their opponents to take control. Selywn Stevens and Witbooi were unable to effectively engage the wing players.
In the closing moments of the clash, play was temporarily halted due to lightning and thunder. When it resumed, with only a few minutes remaining, South Africa was unable to alter the outcome, resulting in their failure to qualify for next year’s u17 Africa Cup of Nations.
The 1-2 defeat was painful for the many South African fans in attendance. They recognised that a squad brimming with talent had missed out on a good opportunity.
Zambia will face Angola, who progressed from the other semi-final after defeating Zimbabwe 2-0, for the title and a place in the Africa Cup of Nations.
The finals of the u17 Cosafa tournaments will be played on Friday, 13 December, at the UJ Soweto Campus Stadium and will be streamed on FIFA+.
While Angola and Zambia will meet in the boys’ title decider, the u17 Girls’ Cosafa Championship will be played between Zambia and Lesotho, with the Zambians eager to clinch the double and be crowned the u17 champions of Cosafa in both events.
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