Amajita coach Raymond Mdaka has reflected on his team’s remarkable COSAFA Championship triumph after just one week of preparation, while calling for more time to prepare for the tougher challenge of the 2027 U20 Africa Cup of Nations.
South Africa were crowned U20 COSAFA champions on Sunday after defeating hosts Mozambique 2-1 at ABB 1 Stadium in Matola, successfully defending the title they won in 2025.
The triumph came despite Amajita having limited time to prepare for the tournament, with several players still at school and completing their matric studies. The competition was also held outside the FIFA calendar, creating further challenges for Mdaka and his technical team when assembling the squad.
Several players were unavailable for selection, while the team had only around a week to prepare before beginning their campaign.
Despite those challenges, Amajita adapted quickly and went on to defend their regional title while also securing qualification for the 2027 U20 AFCON.
Mdaka praised his players for adapting so quickly despite the limited preparation time but believes the circumstances will need to be different ahead of the continental tournament.
“For most of them, they are still at school, they’re doing matric, and also the tournament came at a time when it was outside the FIFA calendar,” he said.
“So you always get those kinds of challenges, to juggle and say, who do you get, who are you not getting? And also, we didn’t have enough time for preparation, but we understand that’s how COSAFA is.
“Fortunately, we had a very good group that was able to pick things up very quickly in a very short space of time for them to be able to compete.
“But beyond this, I think we need enough time for us to prepare, because AFCON is very difficult and tough.”
The 56-year-old coach also highlighted the significance of defending the COSAFA title, particularly because Amajita achieved that objective while simultaneously booking their place at the 2027 U20 AFCON.
“It’s good for the country and good for the boys,” Mdaka added.
“Defending a trophy is something else, especially because on the same day we also qualified for AFCON.
“Both trophies were in the office, so it’s a good start for us as we prepare for AFCON.”
The 2027 U20 AFCON will take place in Ghana from February to March, with Amajita now turning their attention to the continental challenge after completing their COSAFA campaign.
South Africa will not only be aiming to compete for the AFCON title but will also have qualification for the 2027 FIFA U20 World Cup in their sights.
The tournament will serve as a pathway to the World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. The four teams that reach the semi-finals of the U20 AFCON will automatically qualify for the global showpiece.
