LEE KHOTLELE
Molefi Ntseki, Amajimbos coach, said victory is imperative because qualifiers are more like the knockout stages of the cup.
“We’re going to Tanzania with one aim and to get a positive result,” Ntseki told Courant Sport.
“We can’t afford slip-ups. If you concede goals and don’t win, you‘ll lose. So it’s pressure time for the coaching staff and the players. So we have to win,” he added.
“The aim is to score goals and not concede, and if we can play a zero-game on our side, I think it will work for us. However, on the side of Tanzania, we really want to score because a goal you score away from home carries a heavyweight in terms of the return leg.”
South Africa U17 won all four international friendly matches they played against Botswana and Lesotho in preparation for the qualifiers.
Despite being impressed by the result and performance, the man at helm wants the team to stay focused.
“Tanzania is going to be a different ball-game. These are not friendlies, so players need to stay focused,” Ntseki said.
The South Africans will be without midfielder Liam Jordaan, who withdrew from the squad. The Wits player was replaced by Thato Ramogogodi from the School of Excellence.
The African Youth Championships tournament will be played from 12 – 30 April 2015 in Niger.
The away leg will be played at the Azam Stadium in Dar es Salaam on 18 July, before the team returns to South Africa for the home leg at the beginning of August.
Kick-off is at 15h00 CAT.
