Amajita name Afcon squad with Chiefs, Pirates starlets leading the line

THE next generation of South African football talent will be tested on the continental stage later this month as Amajita head to Egypt for the 2025 U20 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), with Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates youngsters at the heart of Raymond Mdaka’s squad.

- SMISO MSOMI

Kaizer Chiefs’ highly regarded Mfundo Vilakazi and Orlando Pirates’ breakout star Mbekezeli Mbokazi headline the 21-man final squad announced by Mdaka this week, along with four additional standby players.

The tournament, which kicks off on April 26 and runs through to May 18, serves as the qualifying pathway to the Fifa U-20 World Cup in Chile later this year, with only the top-four sides securing tickets.

Placed in a difficult Group B, South Africa will battle it out with hosts Egypt, Morocco, and perennial powerhouses Nigeria in what is arguably the tournament's toughest pool.

Despite some key absentees, Mdaka has opted for a balanced squad, combining experience from last year’s Cosafa Cup-winning team with new faces who've been turning heads in domestic football.