The U20 National Men’s Team sealed their COSAFA Championship journey with a sweet 2-0 victory over Zambia on Saturday afternoon at the ABB Stadium in Matola, Mozambique. Goals from Shandre Campbell and Jody Ah Shene were enough to see them get crowned the regional U20 champions.
The opening minutes of the match saw coach Raymond Mdaka’s charges take full control of the ball and looking to break the deadlock early in the game. Right on the the quarter hour mark, Campbell opened the floodgates through a powerful finish on the edge of the box, after receiving a beautiful pass from Masadawana’s Siyabonga Mabena.
Out of frustration early in the match, Zambia began to shoot from range just to find one to level matters before the break, but Amajita’s goalie, Fletcher Lowe, together with the back four, were equally at work as he made crucial saves for his side.
When regulation time ended in the first stanza, four minutes were added into play and that was enough time for South Africa to extend their lead just before the break. It was Ah Shene who netted the goal from another assist from Mabena, who had earlier looked to shoot one himself. South Africa went to the break with a two-goal advantage.
The return of play saw South Africa search for more goals, while Zambia kept pushing with the hopes of turning things around, but Coach Raymond’s defence squad remained solid as they kept a clean sheet. South Africa clasped to the 2-0 scoreline until the very end, making them the 2024 COSAFA Cup champions.
They summed up the tournament with 16 goals in five games, having won all five. They also concluded the tournament with zero goals conceded, as they lifted South Africa’s 9th COSAFA Cup title. During the awards, Campbell, Lowe and Ah Shene picked up accolades to solidify the outstanding performances displayed by South Africa throughout the tournament.
The entire Mamelodi Sundowns family would like to congratulate Siyabonga Mabena, Kutlwano Letlhaku, Gomolemo Kekana and Thato Sibiya, together with the rest of the Amajita team, a massive congratulations for their title and qualifying for the U20 AFCON!