South Africa cane Kenya U17s to make Cosafa finals

South Africa hammed Kenya Under 17s 4-0 in Mauritius on Friday to send them tumbling out of the Cosafa Under-17 tournament having made the semis after Zambia were disqualified from the tournament.

Mjabulise Mkhize, Luke le Roux and Lina Mchilizeli all scored in the first half before Bongo Dladla sealed the rout for Andrea Spires side.

It was Kenya that threatened first in the seventh minute, John Njuguna finding space in the goal mouth only to turn his shot over the bar before Thabiso Monyane missed narrowly for South Africa with only custodian George Ouma to beat, after ghosting past his marker.

Mkhizie notched the opener in the 10th minute, shooting past the exposed Ouma as his defence went walkabout and after his opposite number Glan Baadges made light work of a tame free-kick,  Monyane had an effort chalked off for offside.

Roux scored from a free kick to make it 2-0 at the half hour and six minutes later Mchilizeli exploited Kenya’s napping rearguard to find the target with a cross cum shot.

Spires withdrew Eric Muriithi for Lewis Wanjala after the break before South Africa rested Luke Fleurs and Mchilizeli for Maselesala Langa and Ndamolelo Radzilane with an eye in the final.

Dladla then put the gross with another devastating set piece that flew in to the left corner.

Kenya  finished third in Group B but a Magnetic Resonance Imaging scan proved Zambia’s Nicholas Mulilo who scored a brace in their opening match and Benjamin Phiri were over age.

Material from Cosafa website used to compile this report