5 May 2019 – South Africa’s National Under-20’s (Amajita) lined up friendly matches will play a pivotal role in getting the national juniors ready for the upcoming 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup tournament.

This is according to Amajita captain, Khulekani Kubheka, who applauded the South African Football Association (SAFA) for their stellar job in organizing friendly matches against sides who will also be competing in the upcoming 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

In their today’s fixture, Amajita will take on fellow World Cup participants Qatar at the X Bionic sporting grounds in Samarin, Slovakia.

That match will kick-off at 18h00.

This friendly encounter follows two friendly matches Amajita played the previous month against Saudi Arabia (23 and 26 April), who will also be competing in this year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup Poland edition.

SAFA also confirmed a friendly match against Ukraine which will take place on 18 May.

Kubheka said these are the kind of matches Amajita needs if they are to be ready for their upcoming World Cup group fixtures.

In the World Cup, Amajita are pitted in Group F alongside Argentina, Korea Republic and Portugal.

A top two finish in their group will guarantee them a place in the knockout stages of the tournament.

That international football tournament will run from 23 May to 15 June.

“The South African Football Association has done a stunning job in securing us these friendly match against nations which will be participating in this year’s upcoming World Cup,” Kubheka said. “We played Saudi Arabia in our first two friendly matches and now we will be competing against Qatar in tomorrow’s fixture. That is very good because all of these matches will help us to have a practical understanding of how to deal with our upcoming World Cup group fixtures, and we need that.”

Amajita will fly back to Szamotuly, Poland on 6 May, where they will continue with their World Cup preparations.