Amajimbos head coach Vela Khumalo has expressed immense pride in his team's qualification for the Under-17 World Cup, calling it a “big achievement” and an opportunity to make the country proud.
His words reflect the journey his squad has been on, achieving what they set out to do in Morocco at the ongoing U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).
“Let me take this opportunity to thank every South African who rallied behind us. This is a great moment and a big achievement. Initially, I made it clear that, more than anything, we want to qualify for the World Cup, so it's a mission accomplished,” Khumalo said, after securing the spot.
The Amajimbos finished second in Group B, confirming their place in the U-17 World Cup, which will be hosted by Qatar later this year. Despite a tough 2-0 loss to Burkina Faso in their final group match at Stade Larbi Zaouli in Casablanca, they managed to book their ticket to the global showpiece.
SA U17 men's national team has qualified for the U17 World Cup. They are also through to the quarterfinals of the U17 AFCON!!! pic.twitter.com/ekiit3qzoh
Amajimbos were, however, helped by Egypt’s 2-1 victory over Cameroon, which sealed their place in the competition.
The South African team had earned four points from their first two matches, having opened their campaign with a thrilling 4-3 win over Egypt before a goalless draw with Cameroon. That was enough to see them through to second place, despite the final-day loss.
"We didn't disappoint the South Africans ... qualifying for the World Cup was the main thing," said Khumalo.
The qualification means the Amajimbos will be among the best in the world, competing on the biggest stage for youth football.
Beyond the World Cup qualification, Amajimbos have also progressed to the quarterfinals of the Afcon. They will face the tournament hosts, Morocco, in a high-stakes encounter on Thursday at 9pm.
𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐃 🏆
Our U17 Citizens and the Amajimbos are into the #TotalEnergiesAFCONU17 quarter-finals and have booked their place at the FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar! 🇶🇦
We couldn’t be prouder 🇿🇦💙#iamCityFC pic.twitter.com/ndJC4bQ1IY
South Africa are one of the smallest teams in terms of stature and that was visible in all three of their group games but their nifty footwork and speed has caused problems for their opponents.
Khumalo believes his players need to be more direct and aggressive as they aim to go deeper into the tournament.
“We need to be a little bit more aggressive and direct. We must strategise and plan thoroughly because we want to go to the next round as well,” he said.
This marks only the second time that Amajimbos have qualified for the U-17 World Cup. Their first appearance was in 2015 in Chile, under coach Molefi Ntseki, and now, as they prepare for Qatar, South Africa’s young stars have a chance to make history once again.