SOCCER: Clinton Asary
THE South African under-23 squad is currently on a two- pronged mission as it aims to qualify for the All Africa Games finals in Harare this September, and the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Should they beat Lesotho in their All Africa second round second leg encounter in Maseru on Sunday, the Super Squad will be one step away from joining seven other countries in Harare.
Victory this weekend will then see South Africa play either Malawi or Zambia in mid-May over two legs, with the winner going to Harare.
Loaded with talent, the “Young Guns” are out to establish themselves as one of the finest squads in Africa.
And with the talent available there is no doubt that, with time and patience, they will succeed.
South Africa is in Group 3 of the Confederation of African Football Olympic qualifiers, and host Burundi over the weekend of April 14 to 16. The away leg will be played two weeks later.
Other countries in Group 3 are Ghana, Congo, Gabon, Angola, Cameroon and either Lesotho or Namibia.
Of the opposition in their group South Africa have already faced Ghana in a friendly, which ended in a goalless draw in Cape Town.
There are three groups in Africa with one country qualifying from each group.
South Africa have already had a taste of Olympic opposition when they hosted the powerful Norwegian Olympic squad earlier this month. The Norwegians won 2-
1.
Should the Super Squad be one of Africa’s three representatives at Atlanta 1996, they could well meet the Norwegians again.
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