SA under-23 team avoid heavyweights as race to Rio hots up

JOHANNESBURG: It won’t be easy, but South Africa yesterday received a fair draw for the eight-nation Olympic qualifying tournament.

The national under 23 side were drawn into Group A alongside hosts Senegal, Zambia and Tunisia for the Novem- ber 28 to December 12 event to decide the three countries that will represent Africa at the Games in Rio next year.

Owen Da Gama’s team should be pleased to have avoided the much tougher Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria who make up Group B along with Mali.

The South Africans, bidding to become only the second group from this country to qualify for the Olympics after Shakes Mashaba’s Class of 2000, should make the semifinals to be in line for the three spots to Rio that are up for grabs.

They begin their campaign against Senegal in Dakar on the opening day, November 28. Having to face the hosts in the opening match, the South Africans will no doubt be under tremendous pressure. But if they avoid defeat in that match, Da Gama’s team could be on to a good thing

Next up will be Zambia three days later in the capital. They will fancy their chances of getting the better of the junior Chipolopolo although our neigh- bours are also hell-bent on qualification with FAZ president Kalusha Bwalya tweeting immediately after the draw: “We knew the two groups would be tough. But we have no choice but to go for it,” he tweeted yesterday.

South Africa’s last match is against Tunisia on December 4 in Mbour, a city some 80km south of Dakar.