With Amajimbos having a clean bill of health ahead of their U-17 Fifa World Cup last 32 against Japan at Aspire Zone, Doha, on Saturday at 3.30pm, coach Vela Khumalo says there is no reason why they won’t qualify for the last 16.
Throughout the group stages, the SA U-17 side had to negotiate their way with injuries, with some players carrying them from their respective clubs.
But Khumalo revealed that everyone is available for selection and will have a headache selecting a starting line-up to face Japan.
“We’re having a clean bill of health; that’s a plus for us. I think it came at the right time. We had injuries through and through, but at the moment all the players are available; the red card [Sive Pama, who was sent off against Bolivia in the first match] is also out,” Khumalo explained to the Safa media ahead of the match.
“So, we have a good competition for this and we are going to establish who we are going to play and plan around so we can have good players to play against Japan.”
SA advanced after finishing second in Group A with four points, beating Bolivia and drawing with hosts Qatar, before losing to Italy, who topped the group.
The result placed Amajimbos as the 11th-seeded runner-up, earning them a last-32 clash against Japan, the Group B winners.
If Amajimbos overcome Japan, they will face the winner of the Venezuela vs North Korea clash in the last 16
“These are interesting times. This is the World Cup. We need to go back and do our assignment and get it right. I’m very optimistic and I’m happy. This is a good challenge again; let’s see how it goes. It can go either way,” he said.
“I think we did well because we had a lot of players injured and that’s its own has helped us. Now we are having a clean bill of health; everyone is available and raring to play.
“It will be very hectic for us to choose; it is a good headache for us to choose who to play for this game we want to go through. I don’t really see us failing to go to the last 16.”
