The South African U20 national team, Amajita, has qualified for their third consecutive final of the TotalEnergies U20 Africa Cup of Nations Cosafa Qualifiers tournament following a 4-2 victory over Zambia in Maputo on Friday.
An intense semifinal echoed the 2024 final between the same sides, also in Mozambique, which South Africa won 2-0.
The following year, in Morocco, Amajita claimed the U20 Afcon title for the first time.
Meanwhile, South Africa fielded the U17 national team at the U20 Cosafa Tournament in Namibia in 2025. Under coach Vela Khumalo, the youngsters shone, beating Malawi 3-0 to lift the title.
With qualification for the 2027 U20 Afcon, which takes place in Ghana, at stake, Friday’s semifinal showdown offered more than a place in the final to the winners, and the teams responded by producing an entertaining spectacle in which six goals were scored.
Zambia dominated proceedings in the first half and established a 1-0 lead through Duncan Musalela, who scored within the first half-hour.
The action ramped up in the second half, and South Africa equalised when Steven Mendes converted the first of his two penalties in the 63rd minute. Only two minutes later, Oaraobile Booysen extended Amajita’s advantage to 2-1.
Jonathan Kalimina brought the Zambians back into the match with a 76th-minute goal, but he immediately blotted his copybook by drawing the referee’s ire, which resulted in a red card. Still, the teams were level.
Six minutes from time, however, Mendes netted his second goal from the spot, and Emile Witbooi put the result beyond Zambia with a late strike to make the final score 4-2.
With the win, Amajita also qualified for the next U20 Afcon Championship, where they will defend the title.
Before then, though, they have a mission to complete. They’ll face either Namibia or Mozambique in Sunday’s final in Maputo.
