Olympic dream begins as Mdaka faces elusive Islanders

SA U23 national team coach Raymond Mdaka says Madagascar are a closed book for them ahead of their back-to-back 2028 Olympic Games qualifiers at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday at 3pm and Tuesday.

Even senior Bafana Bafana team analysts were unable to dig up much tactical information on them. Despite little info, Mdaka promised they will find a way to make sure they win and advance to the next round of the qualifiers.

“Honestly, Madagascar is a closed book. We’ve tried with whoever including our senior team analyst. Because they were not there in 2024 when we were playing Cosafa in Mozambique, this is the age group,” Mdaka explained to the media.

“We checked almost everywhere where we thought we could find something, it remains a closed book. But other than that, we always have a way as a technical team and coaches to at least find something, which is a little bit difficult, but we will always have a way out.”

Should SA beat Madagascar in the two fixtures, they will play either Rwanda or Cameroon in the third round, but Mdaka insists their focus is firmly on this match. “As much as we are playing against a closed book, any team that comes and brings 11 players on the field ... never undermines them,” he said.

“So, we are doing as we normally do, take each game as it comes. Once we are done with this, we will put all our efforts into what is coming next. We are not thinking much about who is coming next, we are thinking more of jumping this hurdle then we will be fine.”

Having guided Amajita to Africa Cup of Nations and Cosafa Cup titles, Mdaka said the plan now is to make sure they help the U23 qualify for the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.

“It might not be for me only but let it be for the whole team, the technical team and doing such a great job for the country and also with this group we hope to do as much as we can to make sure that we possibly qualify for the Olympics.

“That’s what we are looking at, that’s what the boys know. We always share with them to say, this is a once in a life opportunity, you might not get it again.”