Foster’s strike fires SA to the final of Cosafa champs
Amajita repel late onslaught from Angola in thriller
Lyle Foster scored the only goal of the game as SA sealed their place in the final of the Cosafa Under-20 Championships with a narrow 1-0 victory over Angola at a wet Nkana Stadium yesterday. Coach Thabo Senong’s side will meet either hosts Zambia or Zimbabwe in the final tomorrow. The two were set to meet in the semis late yesterday. Monaco-bound Foster netted his fourth goal of the competition in the first half as the SA completed a third game at the regional tournament without conceding a goal in defence of the title they won in Kitwe 12 months ago. The Orlando Pirates youngster showed his quality when he netted from a through-ball by Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, who also had a chance to make it 2-0 in the second period but fired inches wide‚ while Pirates youngster James Monyana was thwarted by Angolan goalkeeper Carlos Peixoto.
“We are happy with the result‚ it’s a win‚ but the performance can improve here and there‚” Senong said. Angola saw more of the ball in the second period‚ but Senong says that is part of defending a lead‚ allowing the opposition to have the ball. “When you lead‚ the opponents will dominate possession‚ so we wanted to dominate the transitions. We had to enjoy absorbing pressure‚ enjoy our defensive organisation and enjoy defending in our own half. It’s all about mental toughness.”
Senong added that his side would need to improve their work at set-plays, having yet to score a goal from a free-kick or corner in the competition.