Vela Khumalo optimistic about FIFA U17 World Cup qualification despite challenges

The national team departed for the U17 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco on Sunday and will kick off their Group D campaign against tournament favourites Senegal on Thursday.  

Despite not knowing much about their opposition, Khumalo believes he has a strong enough team to deliver World Cup qualification. 

"I don't know much, we have videos that we've been looking at and watching, and other than that we didn't see anything, but like everybody's saying, it's a strong group," said Khumalo.

"People are not giving us chance but I think, if we can come out of that group, we stand a good chance of competing to go through and through. But, honestly speaking, I think we'll qualify to go to the World Cup."

Amajimbos will also face Ghana and Algeria in the group stage, with the top two in each group qualifying for the World Cup in Qatar, while the four third-placed teams will contest a play-off to determine the final two World Cup spots. 

READ: SAFA planning for life after Hugo Broos at Bafana Bafana

The SA U17 team have not played any international fixtures since qualifying for the AFCON in July last year, something Khumalo admits is not ideal. 

"We did not play any friendlies, to be honest with you, since we qualified last year, but what else can we say? There's nothing we can do about it, it's just a worrying factor to say we could have at least had a few internationals just for exposure," he added.

"So it was a little bit of a challenge but hopefully as things go on, our youth is doing well and Bafana Bafana is doing well, maybe things will come alright and we'll be better with time, we are so hopeful.

"Matches are really difficult, I think what is driving me is the talent that we have and tactical understanding of how we want to play as a country.

"Maybe one would then say we needed a better challenge – you know, when you have your horse always running by itself, you think your horse can run, but when you give it an opponent that's when you realise, 'No, no, no...'

"So that's the challenge we are facing now, to be honest, we would have loved to have friendly games and measure ourselves against countries going to AFCON, but time is up and there's nothing we can do about it now."