SA U17 Book Backdoor QF Ticket, Opponents Confirmed

South Africa’s U17 side have booked their spot in the quarter-finals of the U17 Africa Cup of Nations via the backdoor, and will now face Senegal in the last eight.

Despite being on the edge of an exit from the tournament after losing to 3-2 Nigeria on Saturday, the SA U17 team are through as one of the best third-placed teams.

This is after Burkina Faso stunned Cameroon with two goals in two minutes, to win 2-1 on Sunday, and that results saw South Africa move ahead of Cameroon as one of the two best third-placed sides.

South Africa had finished third in Group B behind Morocco and Nigeria, with three points from beating Zambia. However, that result was scratched out after CAF had qualified South Sudan, making all results against fourth-placed teams null-and-void.

But because Cameroon lost both their games in Group B, and finished on zero points with a goal difference of -3, equal with South Africa, Duncan Crowie’s team went through based on the more goals scored.

They will now face tournament favourites Senegal in the quarter-finals on May 10. The four semi-finalists at this tournament will qualify for the FIFA U17 World Cup.

Meanwhile, Morocco will face hosts Algeria, Mali will meet Congo and Nigeria will battle it out with Burkina Faso.