South Africa U17 excited after last-gasp AFCON progression - Duncan Crowie

Amajimbos scraped into the last eight of the competition currently ongoing in Algeria, after finishing as one of the two best third-placed teams, thanks to Burkina Faso pulling off a dramatic come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Cameroon in Group C on Sunday.

South Sudan's disqualification due to the age falsification of five players before the start of the tournament came as somewhat of a blessing for Crowie and his charges, who beat Zambia but lost to Nigeria and Morocco to miss out on the automatic progression places.

"I think everything started before the game between Cameroon and Burkina Faso. We played, and the idea was for us to beat Nigeria and go through immediately, so as not to wait for anybody like we did last night," Crowie told SAFA Media.

"But the permutations became very complicated after South Sudan was disqualified, meaning the two third-placed teams had to be calculated somehow, and if that wasn't the case then we could have been through after our victory against Zambia already.

"But, of course, the boys and all of us are over the moon and we're looking forward to the encounter against Senegal in the quarterfinals."

SA follow Congo, who drew two of their three Group A matches, into the quarterfinals, and now need to beat Senegal to book a spot at the FIFA U17 World Cup later this year.

"If they're not motivated now, nothing will ever motivate them because, if they win this game, they qualify for the World Cup," Crowie added.