South African Under-23 men’s national team coach Raymond Mdaka is optimistic that his charges will do everything in their power to secure qualification for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Mdaka was speaking ahead of Amaglug-glug’s crucial two-legged qualifier against Madagascar at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville on Saturday, November 14, and Tuesday, November 17, as they begin their journey towards the continental tournament that will determine Africa’s representatives at the Olympics.
Mdaka has stressed the importance of the qualifiers, reminding his players that representing their country at the Olympic Games could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“We hope to do as much as we can to make sure that we qualify for the Olympics. We have shared with the boys that this could also be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity they might not get again,” said Mdaka.
He believes that the opportunity to represent South Africa on the global stage should provide sufficient motivation for the players to give their best in both encounters.
The team has already completed two training sessions in Pretoria as preparations gather momentum.
However, Mdaka admits that Madagascar remain an unpredictable opponent, with limited information available about their Under-23 team.
The technical team has reportedly explored several avenues to gather information about their opponents but has struggled to obtain sufficient details.
Despite this challenge, Mdaka remains confident in his technical team’s ability to develop a strategy capable of overcoming the Malagasy side.
Meanwhile, the coach has retained most of the players who featured in South Africa’s two friendly matches against Algeria in Bloemfontein last month.
Mdaka explained that selecting the final squad was challenging because of the depth of talent available, injuries and the need to consider players who are receiving regular game time at club level.
He added that the technical team continues to rely on its wider player pool to identify footballers capable of delivering when it matters most.
The qualifiers form part of the race to reach the third round in March next year, which will lead to the eight-team CAF Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations.
The top two nations at the tournament will represent Africa at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
With the Olympic dream at stake, Mdaka and his charges will be determined to make a strong start against Madagascar and keep South Africa’s qualification ambitions alive.