Makhanya recalls hostile '97 final ahead of South Africa's U-20 showdown with Morocco

Amajita. Photo credit: CAF

As South Africa's Under-20 team, Amajita, prepare for their highly anticipated Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final against Morocco, memories of a past encounter linger.

Former Amajita player Ashley Makhanya has vividly remembered the intense hostility the team faced during the 1997 Africa Youth Championships final, also against Morocco.

Amajita are set to clash with Morocco in the U-20 AFCON final at the Cairo International Stadium in Egypt tonight - Sunday (8 PM CAT), a repeat of the 1997 final where South Africa suffered a 1-0 defeat on Moroccan soil.

Both nations have already secured their spots in the upcoming FIFA U-20 World Cup after progressing to the AFCON semi-finals.

Amajita, buoyed by their recent semi-final victory over Nigeria thanks to Tylon Smith's strike, are determined to surpass the achievements of the '97 generation, which included Ashley Makhanya, who experienced that previous final loss to tonight's opponents.

“Two days before the game, even from the hotel as you tried to walk to the kitchen, everyone was now on top of us,” said the 47-year-old Makhanya, recalling the match during an interview with Independent Media.

“Everyone kept saying, ‘You are going to lose’. The chef and drivers who were nice to us – everyone changed. We tried to walk out, and it was terrible.

“On the day of the final, it was even worse – from the hotel to the stadium, the country was red. People were shouting at us and beating our bus. It was so full that people were on top of buildings. It was hostile. The police had to work overtime. These people felt like they wanted to grab us. You could see from their faces.

“Others were laying down their mats, and praying outside. There was a lot of noise. It was just a hostile environment. It was something that we had never faced before.”

Despite the hostile atmosphere on the day of the match, coach Shakes Mashaba and his assistant Thabo Dladla remained composed. Dladla provided the team with pre-game motivation, urging them to focus on their game plan rather than the pressure of the occasion.

“That’s what Coach Thabo Dladla, the assistant coach, said to Coach Shakes: here, we need strong minds,” recalled Makhanya.

“He said we needed to remember who we are and how we got here. We needed to fear nothing. We are South Africans. We come from a past that faced hostility.”

While Makhanya and his 1997 teammates narrowly missed etching their names in history, the former left-back is highly impressed with the current Amajita squad. He believes coach Raymond Mdaka's team has shown tremendous dedication to reach this final, especially considering the obstacles they've overcome.

In contrast, Makhanya recalls that the '97 squad had significant advantages, including a home friendly against Italy and the prolific goal-scoring prowess of Benni McCarthy. The latter's suspension in the final proved costly, a situation Makhanya notes highlights the strength Mdaka's team had in its depth, evident by their wide list of goal-scorers.

“We were naive, but very confident. We had good leadership in Coach Shakes Mashaba,” added Makhanya. “In terms of talent, this country has never been short. We won our semi-final against Ghana on penalties, and they won outright. So, they are better than us.

“They are a balanced team, and have more options than us. Our threat was Benni up front. So, when he was not there in the final, it showed.”