Amajimbos make history, Coach Khumalo 'over the moon'

In a groundbreaking achievement, Amajimbos have become the first South African team in their age group to progress beyond the group stage of the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Amajimbos head coach Vela Khumalo expressed his joy after his squad advanced to the knockout stages of the tournament, currently underway in Doha, Qatar.

READ: Amajimbos hold Qatar to keep FIFA U17 World Cup dream alive

"I'm over the moon. I think I'm happy. And the entire team is happy, and everyone is happy. I should think that even the South Africans looking at the support we got after the game. Everyone is happy. Under the circumstances, we made it through, and we're going to the knockout stage. That is one target that we set out for ourselves. We said, when we leave, no matter what, let's go to the knockout stage and take it from there and without really getting into the game itself. But we have reached one goal, one step, and surely we will go plan better and then try to get results as we go forward."

Group Stage Results
In their final group match on Sunday, Amajimbos faced tough competition against Italy, suffering a 3-1 defeat. However, their earlier performances secured their place in the knockout rounds. They drew 1-1 with Qatar in a previous match, showing resilience against the competition.

Italy had already clinched their spot in the knockout stage with a win over Bolivia. Despite the loss to Italy, Amajimbos advanced thanks to a goalless draw between Bolivia and Qatar. This result allowed them to finish Group A with four points, just behind Italy, which topped the group with nine points.

Qatar finished third with two points, while Bolivia, despite a courageous effort in their first match against Amajimbos, ended the group stage without any points.

This historic moment marks a significant milestone for South African football and showcases the potential of Amajimbos on the world stage.

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