Pretoria, South Africa – (African Boulevard News) – South Africa’s U17 soccer team, also known as Bafana Bafana, secured a critical win over their COSAFA rivals, Zambia, thanks to their early goals strategy in the TotalEnergies U17 AFCON tournament.
Head coach Duncan Crowie credited his team’s victory to three early goals that set the tone for the match. The young Bafana Bafana scored their first goal in the second minute of the game, followed by two more goals in quick succession in the 10th and 12th minutes. Zambia tried to stage a comeback, but South Africa managed to hold on for a 3-2 victory.
“It’s always crucial to score early goals in any game, and it was no different in this match. We wanted to set the tempo and be on the front foot from the start, and that’s exactly what we did,” Crowie said.
The victory puts South Africa in second place in Group B, behind Nigeria, who have won both of their opening matches. South Africa has three points from two games and will hope to secure a spot in the quarter-finals when they face Cote d’Ivoire on Sunday.
Crowie was pleased with his team’s performance and believes they can build on this victorious foundation to inspire more successes throughout the tournament.
“We played well, and we deserved to win. Our next match is against Cote d’Ivoire, and we know that they are a good team. But we will take confidence from this game and continue to work hard to achieve our goals in the tournament,” he said.
The TotalEnergies U17 AFCON is an important competition for African countries, as it provides a platform for the continent’s rising soccer stars to showcase their talents. The tournament was initially scheduled to take place in Morocco, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was moved to Rwanda.
South Africa’s victory is a significant step towards their goal of winning the tournament and qualifying for the FIFA U-17 World Cup. The team has a rich history of producing some of the continent’s most prominent soccer players, including Benni McCarthy, Quinton Fortune, and Steven Pienaar.
In conclusion, South Africa’s U17 soccer team secured a crucial win over Zambia, thanks to their early goals strategy. Head coach Duncan Crowie believes the team can build on this success to achieve their goals in the TotalEnergies U17 AFCON tournament. The victory puts South Africa in second place in Group B and within reach of a spot in the quarter-finals.
