South African national U23 team coach Raymond Mdaka has reacted to his side’s 1-0 victory over Madagascar in the second round first leg of their 2028 Olympic qualifiers in Pretoria on Saturday.
Quwan Plaatjies came off the bench and scored the sole goal late in the second half to give Amaglug-glug the important goal in what was Madagascar’s home game though on South African soil.
The two sides will meet again in the second leg at the same venue [Lucas Moripe Stadium] next Tuesday with the winner of tie set to meet either Rwanda or Cameroon in the third round in 2027.
Eight African sides who are successful in the qualifiers will qualify for the U23 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Egypt with the finalists at the tournament going to represent Africa at the multi-coded event in Los Angeles in 2028.
Meanwhile Mdaka was happy that his side secured an away win with a clean sheet.
“It was an away game at home which people think is positive,” said Mdaka after the game. “But what matters most is the results because we have got the away goal rule.
“And if it works, we felt the best thing is for us not to concede and at least get a goal because we’re playing away, which we think we’re not going to rely on that going to the next game. But I think it was very, very important for us to get that three points playing away, sort of.”
The return leg takes place at the same venue on Tuesday afternoon.