South Africa have been crowned 2013 COSAFA Under-20 Youth Championship winners after a 2-0 success over Kenya in the final in Maseru on Saturday.
The Amajita side claimed their first regional title since 2008 and their fifth overall, with coach Shakes Mashaba dedicating the victory to former South Africa president Nelson Mandela, who passed away at the age of 95 on December 5.
The South Africans dominated the match in the early stages, with skipper Ayabulela Mgqwaka heading home a corner to give them the lead on 33 minutes.
Nhlankanipho Ntuli had a great chance to make it 2-0 but fired his short over the bar, before forward Siyanda Ngubo did double the advantage on 69 minutes as he chipped over the on-rushing Kenya goalkeeper Peter Odhiamo.
With the home support seemingly in favour of the South Africans, they continued to press forward and might have had a third when Tebogo Moerane's free-kick just needed a touch to turn it home.
But Amajita ended as deserved winners in the final and can point to a proud defensive record that saw them go through the entire tournament without conceding a goal in any of their five matches. Meanwhile, Angola sealed the bronze medal when they defeated Zimbabwe 2-0 in the third-place play-off.
The tournament’s top-scorer Manuel Afonso netted the first for the Angolans on 83 minutes after a hard-fought encounter in which both sides had their opportunities earlier in the game.
The Angolans made the victory safe when Joao Capemba finished from an Afonso cross in second-half injury-time, adding a third-place finish to the runners-up spot they achieved last time out in 2011.
TOP SCORERS
6 – Manuel Afonso (Angola)
4 – Clesio Baque (Mozambique), Joao de Oliveira (Angola)
3 – Enock Agwanda (Kenya), Siyanda Ngubo (South Africa)
2 – Tumelo Khutlang (Lesotho), Ayabulela Magqwaka (South Africa), Unobatsha Mbaiwa (Botswana), Walter Musona (Zimbabwe), John Nairuka (Kenya), Nhlakanipho Ntuli (South Africa), Thatayaone Ramatlapeng (Botswana), Timonah Wanyonyi (Kenya)
1 – Athouman Alhadhur (Comoros), Ambrosius Amseb (Namibia), Angelo Andreas (Madagascar), Mavambu Baptista (Angola), Joao Capemba (Angola), Liberty Chakoroma (Zimbabwe), Dieter Constance (Seychelles), Patson Daka (Zambia), Ali Faidine (Comoros), Brandon Goagoseb (Namibia), Titotenda Kadewere (Zimbabwe), Tafadzwa Kutinyu (Zimbabwe), Teboho Lekhooa (Lesotho), Morapeli Lesoetsa (Lesotho), Dercio Matimbe (Mozambique), Langson Mbewe (Zambia), Luis Miquissone (Mozambique), Mafa Moremoholo (Lesotho), Ackim Mumba (Zambia), Mlamuli Nkambule (Swaziland), Norberto Norberto (Mozambique), Thabo Ntso (Lesotho), Tinothy Otieno (Kenya), Carlos Rusere (Zimbabwe), Spencer Sautu (Zambia), Collins Shivaki (Kenya), Geoffrey Shiveka (Kenya), Terdius Uiseb (Namibia)
Own goals – Danny Madelene (Seychelles), Lesoetsa Morapeli (Lesotho)
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