Amajita fired up for Cameroon rematch

South Africa U-20 captain Ayabulela Magqwaka wants to show their Cameroonian counterparts "who is boss" when they contest the decisive leg of their 2015 African Youth Championship qualifier.

Amajita arrived back in the country yesterday following their 1-1 draw with the west Africans in Yaounde on Saturday.

Shakes Mashaba's charges came from behind in the first leg despite the dismissal of goalkeeper Dumisani Msibi, as Siyanda Ngubo's 62nd minute goal cancelled out Eteme Adamou Achilles's opener just after the restart at the Stade Omnisports Ahmadou.

Ajax Cape Town's Magqwaka said: “It was a very good game from the boys, but also tough at the same time. Cameroon came there with a plan to attack us, and show us who was boss since they were playing at home but we stuck to our plans. I think the 1-1 draw is a good result playing away from home.

“Now it’s our turn to show them who is boss. We shouldn’t just defend but go there and play our football the way we know it and get a win. The 1-1 draw is an advantage but we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves and take it easy. We have to keep our feet on the ground, know what we want and not lose the vision. We must put on another good performance and get a better result than in the first leg.”

Santos forward Fagrie Lakay added: “I think it was a great match. We all know we had to win the game but 1-1 is not that bad as we have an away goal. It is a good draw but we are not happy, we are a bit disappointed that we could not finish it off after creating good chances. We have to work harder in the second leg and convert those chances.

“Cameroon will throw everything at us because for them it was like a loss and we need to be prepared and give 100 percent. This reminds us of the U-17 squad where more or less the same thing happened to us. We played Zambia first leg and it was a 1-1 draw. At home, in the second leg it wasn’t easy, we gave our all and won. So we know how Cameroon must be feeling with the result because we have been there, and we have to be really prepared.”

During their days in the U-17 squad, some of the Amajita players missed out on the African Youth Championships, with Magqwaka eager to make amends. He said: “It is going to be major feat to win this match. We played in the U-17 squad and didn’t make it through to the AYC and it killed a lot of our dreams. I just think this is the time when we have to do it, and I believe we have the advantage. If we lose it now we can’t blame anyone. A win will also be big for the country where a lot of South Africans are depending on us. We just have to go out there and prove them right that this is the team, this is the future and we have bigger goals set for this team.”

Magqwaka, though, said the team will miss the services of the suspended Msibi. “He is a very big part of the team and it is a huge blow that he won’t be available, but having said that this is the national team I believe another good player will come in his place.”

Mashaba's team will go into camp this Sunday in preparation for the upcoming contest in Polokwane on August 31.

The overall victor of the tie will gain entry to the 19th edition of the ACY, taking place in Senegal from 8-22 March. The top three finishers at the competition will represent Africa at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand.