South Africa and Nigeria face off in the 2025 U20 Africa Cup of Nations semi-final on Thursday with a place in the final at stake.
Amajita are in their fifth semi-final but looking for just their second appearance in the final but face a tough test against three-time winners Nigeria, who are in the semi-final for a 17th time.
Raymond Mdaka’s side therefore take on a team that is highly experienced at this level, and to get into the final, his players will need to be very prepared.
With the help of Afrik-Foot ZA, we have highlighted three South Africa players to watch out for against Nigeria.
Gomolemo Kekana
The Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder has been an ever-present figure in central midfield for Amajita with his eye-catching displays.
Kekana was the highly-rated South African player in their opening loss to Egypt and maintained his impressive show against Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Zambia and DR Congo.
A midfielder good at shielding the defence, Kakana has also been lauded for his ball-carrying abilities which has ensured that South Africa dominate rivals and hurt them at key moments of the game.
Jody Ah Shene
Striker Jody Ah Shene is another South Africa dangerman to watch out for as he has been a big threat in attack for Mdaka’s team.
Jody Ah Shene with a goal and assist against Sierra Leone tonight! 🔥
Clinical performance up top 👌🏽 pic.twitter.com/gEl7zjt6fA
— SA Football 1st 🇿🇦 (@RSAFutbol) May 6, 2025
The Cape Town City striker is the man Mdaka has preferred at centre-forward and has one goal and an assist, both coming in the 4-1 thrashing of Sierra Leone.
However, were it not for some big misses, his tally would have been higher, especially in the game against Egypt, when South Africa dominated but wasted several opportunities before they were punished.
Mfundo Vilakazi
Although he has started three of South Africa’s five games so far, Kaizer Chiefs attacking midfielder Mfundo Vilakazi has been impressive.
A midfielder with an eye for a great pass, Vilakazi’s great performances have largely gone unnoticed but he has been key to opening up opposition defences.
My boy scored 2 goals for the National team (Under 20)🥹 I’m proud of u, what a talent. The future is bright ❤️
Mfundo Vilakazi 💫 pic.twitter.com/yMfg36zkNM
— Djkarri (@Djkarri__) March 22, 2025
His best game was when he starred in the 1-1 draw against Zambia although he had created a number of opportunities for his team-mates in the previous three games.
The Nigerians will need to devise a plan on how to stop him as he is one of those Amajita will be relying on for creativity.
Want to know who to watch out for on the Nigeria side? Here are 3 key players as the Flying eagles take on the Amajita today.
