Mdaka Criticises Players Despite Win Over New Caledonia
Although South Africa’s Amajita bounced back in style at the FIFA U-20 World Cup with a commanding 5-0 victory over New Caledonia in their Group E clash on Friday morning, coach Raymond Mdaka was far from satisfied, blasting his players for a lack of discipline and missed opportunities.
The emphatic result came after Amajita’s disappointing 2-1 defeat to France in their opening match. The win lifted South Africa to second place in the group, keeping their hopes of reaching the knockout stages alive.
Goalscorers for Amajita included a brace from Siviwe Magidigidi, while Siviwe Nkwali, Shakeel April, and Lazola Maku each added one to seal the dominant performance.
The result also marked Amajita’s biggest ever FIFA U-20 World Cup win, surpassing their 2-0 victory over Honduras in 2009, when they reached the knockout round before being eliminated by eventual champions Ghana.
Despite the convincing scoreline, Mdaka was critical of his team’s execution:
“We always appreciate and welcome the win. But honestly, this is a game we should have scored nine or 10 goals. Our players lacked tactical discipline, and we missed too many chances where we needed to move forward quickly,” said Mdaka.
The coach emphasized the need for professionalism both in attack and defense, insisting that goal difference could prove crucial in deciding who advances from the group.
Amajita now face a tough challenge against group leaders USA, who have beaten New Caledonia 9-1 and France 3-0. That decisive clash will take place at El Teniente Stadium on Sunday, played simultaneously with France vs New Caledonia.
With USA on six points and both France and South Africa tied on three, Amajita could still qualify either by finishing second or as one of the best third-placed teams, as they did in 2009.
Mdaka concluded:
“We have to forget about New Caledonia and prepare for the USA game. We still have a chance, whether it’s finishing second or going through as one of the best third-placed teams.”
