AYC : Senegal and South Africa Through to Semi-Final

The line-up for the semifinals of the 2017 Total U-20 Africa Cup of Nations was completed on Sunday with Senegal and South Africa the latest teams to qualify after they won their final Group B matches 2-0 and 3-1 against Cameroon and Sudan respectively. Both matches were played simultaneously at the National Heroes and Levy Mwanawasa Stadiums.
They join hosts Zambia and Guinea who both qualified from Group A, meaning that Zambia will play South Africa in the first semi-final scheduled for Wednesday, March 8 while Senegal will play Guinea in the second semi-final scheduled for the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium on the following day.

At the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Senegal scored the opener on the stroke of half time through Ibrahima Niane and their advantage was increased a minute after the restart by Krepin Diatta, the lead which they kept until the final whistle to finish top of the group with 7 points, making them the second team to remain unbeaten in the eight team continental tournament along with hosts Zambia. Senegal coach Marie Joseph Francois Koto said: "First of all I thank God for this result. Our objective was to take each match as it comes but we are happy that we finished top of the group which means that we will play our semi-final here in Ndola and saves us the energy to travel to Lusaka. We believe that will give us an advantage."

At the National Heroes Stadium, Phakamani Mahlambi put South Africa’s Amajita in front in the 15th minute but Khaled Osman equalized nine minutes later for the two sides to share the spoils at the break. Grant Margeman and Sibongakane Mbatha added a goal apiece in quick succession in the 60th and 66th minutes to ensure the Amajita reached the semi-finals as well as qualified for the 2017 Fifa U-20 World Cup in Korea Republic.

Photo Credit : Faz