Barely three days after guiding South Africa’s national Under-20 team, Amajita, to another COSAFA championship title, Raymond Mdaka will be back on the touchline on Wednesday as the country’s Under-23 side, Amaglug-glug, begin their preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations and Olympic Games.
Amaglug-glug face Algeria in the first of two international friendly matches in Durban on Wednesday, with the second encounter scheduled for Saturday.
The matches mark the beginning of a new chapter for Mdaka and his young charges as they look ahead to the next stage of the continental Under-23 programme and the road towards the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Mdaka’s immediate challenge comes after an impressive assignment with Amajita in Mozambique, where he led the Under-20 side to a 2-1 victory over hosts Mozambique in the COSAFA U20 Championship final on Sunday.
The victory saw Amajita retain the regional crown for a third consecutive year. Oarabile Booysen opened the scoring before Mozambique equalised, while Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Steven Mendes converted a second-half penalty to secure the trophy for South Africa.
The triumph came with an added reward, as Amajita had already secured qualification for next year’s Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana by reaching the COSAFA final.
Now Mdaka turns his attention to Amaglug-glug, where he has been entrusted with preparing another generation of South African youngsters for the international stage.
The Algeria friendlies will provide an early opportunity for the coach to assess his squad, which includes a strong representation from domestic clubs, with Orlando Pirates supplying several players. Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns youngsters are also part of the squad, alongside players based overseas.
For Mdaka, the transition from Amajita to the Olympic team has been remarkably quick.
After celebrating another piece of silverware in Maputo on Sunday, he has had little time to savour the achievement before turning his attention to a new assignment and a group of players with a different target.
The Algeria fixtures therefore come at an important time for Amaglug-glug, offering Mdaka an opportunity to start shaping a team capable of competing for continental honours and eventually earning South Africa a place at the 2028 Olympic Games.
The coach has already spoken about the importance of consistency after Amajita’s latest success, saying the standards established by the national youth teams need to be maintained.
That challenge now moves to the Under-23 level, with Algeria providing the first test of Mdaka’s new Olympic mission.
For the players, meanwhile, the two matches represent an opportunity to stake their claim for places in a team that will carry South Africa’s hopes on the road to the next Olympic Games.
