Colombia Defeats South Africa at the u20 FIFA World Cup. Image- AFP.
(The Post News) – The Amajita, South Africa’s Under-20 national squad, lost 3-1 to Colombia in their round of 16 on Wednesday night, causing them to withdraw from the 2025 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Chile.
The result doesn’t accurately reflect how competitive the game was. In a game full of futile attempts and wasted chances, Amajita were upset after missing out on crucial moments. With a solid and resolute showing vs. the United States in their last Group E encounter, they were able to reach the knockout stages, which was their original goal going into the competition.
Raymond Mdaka, the coach, had considerable optimism for the match against Colombia.”You think your team can produce outcomes. Losing is very painful when you’re accustomed to victory. At this point in the World Cup, such exposure is beneficial for the teammates, the coaching staff, and all parties concerned, Mdaka thought.
Missed chances and late goals ended Amajita’s World Cup run.
Colombia scored the first goal and led 1-0 at halftime, swiftly punishing Amajita for its initial tactical errors.
Amajita was awarded a penalty at the beginning of the following half. With assurance, Mfundo Vilakazi took charge and completed it to level the playing field for South Africa. Twelve minutes later, however, the South Africans paid a heavy price for giving Colombia too much room in the box.
They tried to equalize again, but the attempts were unsuccessful. South Africa’s World Cup run came to an official end when Colombia’s David Villarreal scored his second goal of the evening late into the final period.
Even though the squad had trouble controlling the match, goalie Fletcher Smythe-Lowe acknowledged that there were still benefits to the event. “We weren’t clinical enough, but we gave hints of our potential. Nevertheless, we’re pleased with the work we did. It has been a privilege to work with the assistants, spend time with these athletes, and absorb knowledge from the coaches. It has been an incredible experience.
Coach Mdaka reiterated the same comments, noting the lessons learned both inside and outside the fields. From technical understanding to the psychological aspect of the game itself, there is a lot to learn. “You have to cultivate the attitude they have, but under-20 athletes have genuine talent,” he remarked.
He also praised Colombia’s tactical strategy and acknowledged that wasted opportunities contributed significantly to the defeat.
“We passed up a number of important chances. We felt in charge for a time after equalizing by a penalty, but we lost again. Colombia obviously did a thorough study of us. The outcome was influenced by their intense pressure and disruption of our midfield distribution,” he added.
Morocco is still the only African country left in the competition after Amajita was eliminated. Early on Friday morning (South African time), they will play South Korea during their round of 16 match.
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