KHS matric learner strikes gold at U20 Afcon
Krugersdorp High School's very own Thato Sibiya has made both his country and community proud as he was part of the talented group of players who lifted the U20 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) title for the first time in Egypt after they beat Morocco 1–0 in the final on May 18.
• Also read: KHS youngster among SA U17 squad at AFCON
Thato, who is currently in matric, describes the feeling of winning as overwhelming and emotional, stating that it was all teamwork and hard work that earned them gold.
Thato plays as a left-wing defender for the Mamelodi Sundowns Football Academy. It was in April 2023 that he received his first national team call-up, representing the U17 team in the Afcon that took place in Algeria that year. The U20 team won their maiden title while also reaching their first final in nearly two decades. The boys returned to a hero's welcome on May 20, and Thato was overwhelmed with joy.
It feels unbelievable, you know, it feels like I'm dreaming because we made history as being the first youth group to do it, which I'm grateful for. It feels special.'
Ahead of the match, the coach of the U20 national team, Raymond Mdaka, expressed confidence that the boys were capable of rewriting the history books.
Raymond believed they could cause a significant upset against Morocco.
'For us, reaching the final was out of our reach, but the belief grew when we made it. Nevertheless, we have rewritten the history books. We would now like to turn the tables and see how best we can help develop young talent as a country, because you can see there has been a bit of a slump in South Africa regarding junior teams, but we have picked up our game, as my goalkeeper said. You see, the U17s have qualified, the U20s have qualified. It looks like we are getting there,' he said.
According to Thato, the preparations going into the final were very clear and straightforward, as the team knew they had come that far not just to participate in the final but to win it and make history. The team played six games, facing formidable opponents such as Egypt, Nigeria, and Morocco to claim their first title. It was the boys' first final since 1997, facing Morocco once more.
The victory in the final means the team qualifies for the U20 FIFA World Cup, which will be held later this year in Chile.
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