South Africa U20 crowned Afcon Champions

Estimated reading time: 4 minute(s)

The U20 Bafana Bafana team has re-written history and followed the footsteps of the 1996/97 senior Bafana Bafana team who became the African football champions and lifted the trophy two years into democracy.

The National team, also known as Amajita, have been on fire since the beginning of the Afcon tournament having been collecting points from onset.

They engraved their names on the trophy after hammering the North Africans, Morocco, in a 1-0 match which seemed tough from the first half after seeing Bafana keeper Lowe making several dangerous saves.

However, the team also brought their own game by firing several shots at the opponents which were unsuccessful.

The game changed in the 70th minute, all thanks to the powerful right-footed Gomolemo Kekana who received the long pass from the keeper right into the other half of the pitch. Kekana held the ball, kept pushing until he struck a long range outside the box.

The goal was approved by the referee but the celebration by the players was shortly lived when the lines referee ruled it as an offside.

The boys were however saved by an official VAR which awarded Bafana Bafana the goal. They defended the goal until the last whistle and they became the first ever young South African continental champions.

Keeper Fletcher Lowe ended the tournament with the most saves standing at 24 saves.