They will be back at the same venue on Tuesday for the second leg

South Africa’s under-23 national team registered a hard-fought 1-0 win over a stubborn Madagascar in their 2028 Olympic Games qualifier at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

They will be back at the same venue on Tuesday for the second leg of this second-round clash, where coach Raymond Mdaka and his boys will be out to complete the job.

Mdaka started the match with the strongest possible line-up, featuring players with PSL experience like Asekho Tiwani, Neo Rapoo, Mfundo Vilakazi and Kutlwano Letlhaku.

Mdaka also called on overseas-based players in goalkeeper Fletcher Smythe-Lowe of Estoril Praia in Portugal, Tylon Smith of New England Revolution FC in the US and Shandre Campbell of KV Kortrijk in Belgium.

Though they have taken the lead in this two-legged affair, Mdaka will be unhappy that they did not convert most of the chances they created.

In one of their clear-cut opportunities, Siviwe Nkwali’s header was cleared off the line by a Madagascar defender from a corner kick from Rapoo.

South Africa continued to push forward and were rewarded with the opener after 74 minutes when Stellenbosch FC striker Quwan Plaatjies rose above everyone in the box to beat Madagascar goalkeeper Christopher Cladec.

Plaatjies, who earlier replaced Kutlwano Letlhaku on the hour mark, connected with Rapoo’s corner kick as they finally managed to put the ball in the back of the net.

South Africa should have won the match by a bigger margin, but attackers Campbell, Vilakazi and Thabang Mahlangu were denied by Cladec who produced numerous stunning saves.