African Youth Champs next for Cosafa kings Amajita

● Orlando Pirates teenager Lyle Foster scored his third goal of the tournament as South Africa claimed a sixth Cosafa Under20 Championship title with a 2-1 victory over Lesotho in Kitwe, Zambia, yesterday.

Foster’s early strike, coupled with a second goal from Mamelodi Sundowns defender Kamogelo Sambo, secured the title for coach Thabo Senong, who had led the team to silver on home soil 12 months ago.

It capped a fine tournament for a squad that will now be expected to qualify for the 2019 African Youth Championships and the Fifa Under-20 World Cup later in that year.

Senong said: “Lesotho had a very good second half, but well done to our boys, we have been consistent in all our games.

“The winning mentality is there, the steel, the heart, congratulations to them and to all South Africans.

“We had a very good first half, Lesotho were better in the second. We are working with these young players and their characteristics are still inconsistent.

“But we are teaching them to be better every day. This team will graduate to the next level, we dominated set plays, critical phases and transitions through the tournament.”

Lively Bidvest Wits midfielder Luvuyo Mkatshana was named player of the tournament, with the golden boot going to Muhammad Shaban of Uganda for his four goals.

Lesotho had not conceded a goal in any of their previous three matches, but Amajita broke their resistance early with a fine finish from Foster inside five minutes.

Mkatshana burst towards goal and rode two tackles, before the ball fell kindly for Foster to provide a composed finish into the bottom corner from close range.

Amajita dominated territory and possession in the first half and were again rewarded when Sambo added the second five minutes before the break as he bundled the ball home after Keanu Cupido’s volleyed back-heel was blocked by the Lesotho goalkeeper.

There was a big scare for Amajita late in the half when Bonang Mohapi’s free-kick rebounded off the post, a warning of what was about to come. And Lesotho did get their goal just before the hour-mark through Rethabile Mokokoane when he scored from all of 40 yards as he caught Amajita keeper Sanele Tshabalala napping.

Wits’ gloveman Tshabalala reacted late to the speculative shot and could not keep the ball out.

Lesotho should have equalised shortly afterwards when Tshabalala was again caught out of position and Mokoteli Mohapi had the chance to side-foot into an empty net, but put his effort wide and Amajita were able to hold on.

North African guest nation Egypt claimed the bronze medal when they defeated East Africans Uganda 3-1 earlier in the day.