U17 World Cup : South Africa crushes Bolivia and secures victory in the opening match

The South African U17 team secured their first resounding victory, 3-1, against Bolivia on Monday at the Aspire Zone Complex in Doha, in their opening Group A match of the 2025 U17 World Cup.

The first half was difficult for the South Africans. In the 36th minute, Sive Pama was sent off, leaving his teammates a man down. But far from being discouraged, the Amajimbos displayed impressive resilience. Two minutes later, Emile Witbooi (38th minute) opened the scoring with a controlled shot, giving his team the lead before halftime.

In the second half, Neo Bohloko (50th minute) doubled the lead after a fine team move, extending the advantage. Bolivia pulled one back through a penalty converted by Jesus Maraude (72nd minute), but it wasn't enough to turn the tide.

In stoppage time, Shaun Els (90+5th minute) sealed the victory for the Amajimbos with an unstoppable shot. Final score: 3-1. This is South Africa's first victory in the U17 World Cup. A win that allows the young South Africans to make a perfect start to this global tournament.