SZAMOTULY – The SA Under-20 team (Amajita) side held their first training session in Szamotuly, Poland, on Monday after arriving in the country in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Amajita are in camp preparing for the 2019 Fifa Under-20 World Cup tournament which takes place from May 23 to June 15 in Poland.
The national juniors are in Group F and will compete against Argentina, Korea Republic and Portugal with all teams aiming to reach the knockout stages.
The last time Amajita reached the knockout stages of a World Cup was in 2009 when under the leadership of former coach Serame Letsoaka, they lost 2-1 to Ghana in the last-16 of the competition.
In the Under-20 World Cup Thabo Senong’s charges will first take on six-time world champions Argentina on May 25 at the Tychy Stadium, just three days before their second Group F fixture against former Under-20 World Cup hosts, Korea Republic, at the same venue on May 28.
Amajita will then face 12-time Under-20 World Cup participants, Portugal, in their final group match at the Bielsko-Biala Stadium on May 31. All matches start at 8.30 pm SA time.
Amajita during their interval training session at the Hotel Marathon Business & Sports Centrum Center in Szamotuly, Poland this morning. Amajita are in camp preparing for the upcoming 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup which will run from 23 May to 15 June. pic.twitter.com/UhpS0Nq31D
— SAFA.net (@SAFA_net) April 30, 2019
Senong on Monday expressed his satisfaction at how his charges have started their World Cup preparations.
He said that their two recent friendly fixtures against Saudi Arabia helped him to lay the tactical foundations for his team.
Amajita won 2-1 in their second friendly against the Asian side, following a 1-0 defeat in their first match.
Senong’s charges will take on Ukraine on May 18 as another step towards their World Cup preparations.