South Africa U23 men's team defeats Algeria 3-1 in friendly

South Africa’s U23 Men’s National team secured a 3-1 victory against Algeria in a friendly match held at the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium in Bloemfontein. Despite trailing 1-0 at halftime following a goal by Algeria’s Yanis Senhadji, the South African side staged a second-half comeback.

Substitutes played a decisive role in the turnaround. Quwan Plaatjies and Nhlanhla Gasa contributed to the equalizer, while Gasa later scored to extend the lead. Faiz Abraham completed the scoring with a long-range shot to finalize the 3-1 result.

Assistant coach Karabo Mogudi led the team during the match in the absence of head coach Raymond Mdaka. The fixture serves as part of the team’s preparation for the road to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, with qualification contingent on performance at the 2027 U23 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.