MONDAY, 11.30AM:
SOUTH AFRICA’s under-23 squad went down 2-0 to their Australian counterparts in Canberra, Australia on Saturday, in the first of their two friendly international encounters. Coach Mich D’Avray said he was very impressed with the way his charges performed even though they lost.
D’Avray and the squad are in Australia on a two-week tour, in preparation for the 1998 Olmpic qualifiers. On Wednesday they will play their second match against a team from the Australian Institute of Sport.
According to D’Avray, inexperience and sloppy defence were the cause for Saturday’s defeat. “Our lack of concentration at the back proved to be our undoing, but the general perfomance was very good,” said D’Avray. He said their performance was better than their game against Columbia two months ago.
. D’Avray said touring Australia is the best way to prepare the squad because “they are a very good side and playing them is sure to benefit us in our quest for a place in the Olympics. They have great facilities and I’m sure that at the end of the tour we’ll have learnt a few lessons to help us achieve our objective of qualifying for Sydney 2000.” South Africa will play their second game against the Australian under-23s on Saturday.