Buccaneer link brings focus to Amaglug-glug

THE results of playing in the CAF Confederation Cup with Orlando Pirates are now there for all to see.

It’s no surprise that Menzi Masuku and Gift Motupa walked straight into the national under23 team starting lineup and immediately became the driving forces behind 2016 Rio Olympics qualification at the CAF under23 championship in Senegal.

They’ve gained a lot of experience playing continental club football with the Buccaneers and they’ve since added so much value to Owen da Gama’s under-23 team after missing out on the 3-1 defeat to hosts Senegal on the opening day last weekend.

Four goals between them have inspired the under-23s to the semifinals of the championship, a step closer to realising the dream of qualifying for the Olympics for the first time since Sydney 2000.

Masuku, who started on the bench in the Confederation Cup final defeat to Tunisian club Etoile du Sahel, scored the winner in the final group A match against Tunisia on Friday to book a spot in the last four, as the team finished second in the group behind Senegal, who did not drop any points.

Masuku also scored in the team’s first victory of the competition, against Zambia, on Tuesday before Motupa scored two in two minutes to secure a 32 victory in a do-or-die encounter. Unlike Masuku, who has played for all of the junior national teams, Motupa never got to go through the proper stages of development, but he has taken to international football like a duck to water.

They combine so well together and a lot will be expected from them in the semifinals.

Someone who gets to see Masuku and Motupa on a regular basis at training, Teboho Moloi, is not surprised that these two players are doing so well and carrying the under-23s.

“I worked with Masuku when I was coach of the national under-17 team. From the small boy he was he has grown in leaps and bounds. He has played for the under-17s, under-20s and now he is in the under-23 team. Motupa did not get the same experience and you ask yourself where he has been all along? But I am happy knowing that even though he missed out on playing for the other junior national teams, he is showing what a talented player he is and how

Playing in the Confed Cup has helped both players and you can see they have grown in confidence

much talent we have in this country if we just look for it properly.”

He added: “Playing in the Confed Cup games has helped both players and you can see that they have grown in confidence. They have brought a lot of experience to the under-23 team and they are carrying the team. They know what is expected of them and they can lead by example.”

Da Gama and his men have to win the semifinal on Wednesday, against an opponent that was yet to be confirmed at the time of going to press, to avoid having to do the things the hard way in the third-place playoff match.

The teams that finish in the top three will play at the Olympics next year.