South Africa Under-17 head coach Vela Khumalo says his side is determined to break Zambia’s dominance when the two regional giants clash tomorrow at 15:00 in Harare, Zimbabwe, in the COSAFA Under-17 Championship.
The annual regional tournament kicks off this afternoon, featuring 12 teams vying for three coveted spots at next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. The continental finals double as qualifiers for the expanded 48-nation 2026 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Qatar, where Africa will have 10 slots.
South Africa is in Group B alongside Zambia, Madagascar, and Malawi. Hosts Zimbabwe headline Group A with Mozambique, Comoros, and eSwatini, while Group C contains Angola, Botswana, Mauritius, and Lesotho.
Khumalo admitted that Zambia will be a formidable opponent, especially given their thorough preparations.
“Playing Zambia first is like a final before the final—it’s very difficult,” he said. “We share the same hotel, bump into each other, but on the field, it’s different. Zambia have been in camp for a month. With us, it’s been really no camp at all—kids are at school, and we’ve only had maybe two or three training sessions and two friendlies. But the boys are motivated, and we want to set new standards by beating Zambia and making history.”
Despite their limited preparation, Khumalo is confident that advancing from the group stage will put South Africa on course for another World Cup appearance.
“If we beat Zambia, it will boost our confidence for the knockout stage and beyond,” he added. “The players want to do well, and we’re aiming to qualify for the World Cup again with this group.”
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