Manuel Chávez
Dailysports's expert
On May 15, the African Youth Cup will see its semifinals kick off, with the first clash featuring South Africa U20 taking on Nigeria U20. Here’s my prediction for this intriguing showdown.
South Africa U20
The South African youth side opened their tournament with a narrow 0-1 defeat to hosts Egypt. They bounced back with a 1-0 victory over Tanzania and a commanding 4-1 win against Sierra Leone. In their final group stage match, they faced Zambia. The group ended with three teams tied on 7 points, and South Africa topped the group thanks to superior tiebreakers.
The quarterfinal against DR Congo U20 proved to be a real test. The stats show the Congolese held the initiative, but South Africa snatched a dramatic win, scoring the only goal in extra time for a 1-0 triumph.
Nigeria U20
Nigeria started their continental campaign with a 1-0 win over Tunisia. The second match saw them play out a goalless draw with Morocco. Nigeria were heavy favorites against group underdogs Kenya, but the match ended in a surprising 2-2 draw. With 5 points from three matches, Nigeria finished second in the group behind Morocco.
The quarterfinal was a fierce battle against Senegal U20, with neither side able to find the net in regular time. The outcome was decided by a penalty shootout, where Nigeria converted all three of their attempts, while their opponents managed only one out of four.
Probable lineups
- South Africa U20: Smithe-Love, Timba, Smith, Nkwali, Sibiya, Maku, Kekana, April, Abrahams, Rapo, Mahlangu.
- Nigeria U20: Harcourt, Okoro, Bamei, Chukwu, Maigari, Alabi, Ayuma, Oliseh, Jephta, Ariyerhi, Amole.
Prediction
There is no clear favorite in this matchup, so any result is possible. This is the kind of game where extra time and even a penalty shootout could be on the cards. Expect a tense contest with few clear-cut chances. Head-to-head history isn’t much of a factor here, as youth squads change drastically from year to year. My pick: under 2 goals in total is a reasonable bet.
