SA have point to prove
UNDER-20 COACH SENONG WANTS TO SURPRISE WORLD IN KOREA South Africans without missing trio as Japan, Italy and Uruguay lie in wait at World Cup.
There is no doubt that Thabo Senong’s Amajita team face a daunting task to make the last16 of the Under-20 Fifa World Cup in South Korea with the team facing strong challenge coming up against Japan, Italy and Uruguay in Group D.
In the group, Amajita are the only team not to have made less than five appearances at the competition as this will only be the team’s third World Cup having competed at the 1997 and the 2009 events. Japan have made eight appearances and Italy five, while Uruguay’s 13 is the most number of appearance in the competition.
With all of that known to Senong, the Amajita coach sees this is an opportunity for his team to rise above the occasion and surprise the world, particularly in their first game against Japan at the Suwon World Cup Stadium next Saturday.
“Our priority is to come out of the group with enough points so that we can move to the last-16, but it won’t be easy. We believe that we can get the needed points in order to go to the round,” Senong continued.
“Of course no one is giving us the chance, we are dark horses in our group, but that puts us in a good space to work hard, to plan better, concentrate and hopefully get good results.
“We haven’t been in the World Cup for some time, but Japan also has not been in the tournament for a while. So, it won’t be easy. But in any tournament, the first game is very important. If you draw your first game you get the right confidence.
‘‘Let’s focus on one game at a time which is against Japan, get a good result which is a draw, but a win will be an excellent result. It will give us the possibilities and the direction on how far we are going to go in the tournament.”
Senong left for Asia on Wednesday without three of his key players in Bidvest Wits winger Phakamani Mahlambi and defender Reeve Frosler as well as SuperSport United midfielder Teboho Mokoena as all three are active in the respective senior teams with the Absa Premiership yet to finish. However, the coach has left the door open for them should the teams decide to release them.