South Africa’s national Under-23 team have given their preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games fresh momentum after completing their international friendly programme against Algeria with a 3-1 victory in Bloemfontein on Thursday.
The result was a welcome response after Amaglug-glug had suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to the North Africans in the first of the two friendlies.
But for coach Raymond Mdaka, the significance of the two matches goes beyond the results.
The fixtures were arranged primarily to give the technical team an opportunity to assess a new-look squad, establish combinations and identify the players who can form the core of the team as South Africa moves into the competitive stages of the U-23 programme.
The second match was particularly significant because Mdaka was dealing with a deeply personal loss during the preparations.
The coach was absent from the touchline for Thursday’s victory following the death of his younger brother, Eric, who passed away at the age of 47 after falling ill. Assistant coach Karabo Mogudi took charge of the team on the day.
Despite the difficult circumstances surrounding the camp, Amaglug-glug produced a strong second-half performance to turn the match around.
Algeria led at half-time, but South Africa responded through Quwan Plaatjies, Nhlanhla Gasa and Faiz Abraham, all of whom scored after the break.
Building the next generation
The bigger task now is for Mdaka and his technical team to use the experience gained from the Algeria fixtures to build a competitive U-23 squad.
Mdaka had already indicated before the matches that the friendlies would allow the technical team to assess players from different backgrounds, including members of the successful Under-20 side that recently won the COSAFA U-20 Championship.
The coach also faces the challenge of finding the right balance between talented players competing for places in the same positions.
The Algeria games therefore provided valuable minutes for the players and an opportunity to test combinations before the pressure of official competition arrives.
AFCON qualification next
Amaglug-glug’s immediate competitive objective is the 2027 U-23 AFCON qualification campaign.
South Africa are scheduled to face the winner of the Madagascar-Comoros tie in the next round of qualifying in November.
Qualification for the U-23 AFCON is important beyond the continental tournament itself because the competition forms part of the pathway towards the Olympic Games.
The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will consequently remain a major long-term target for Mdaka and his players.
A different challenge for Mdaka
Mdaka’s workload has been extraordinary in recent days.
He had just returned from Mozambique after guiding Amajita to another COSAFA U-20 Championship triumph before immediately joining the U-23 camp for the Algeria assignment.
That success has also strengthened the pool of players available to him, with several members of the successful Under-20 generation now being assessed at U-23 level.
The coach’s task is to ensure that the transition between the two age groups produces a team capable of competing at continental level while simultaneously developing players for the senior national team.
For Amaglug-glug, therefore, the 3-1 victory over Algeria should not be viewed simply as revenge for the earlier defeat.
It represents another building block in a much bigger project.
With the AFCON qualifiers approaching and the Olympic Games firmly on the horizon, Mdaka’s focus will now shift towards refining his squad, improving combinations and ensuring that the lessons from the Algeria encounters are translated into progress when the competitive campaign begins.