The future generation of South African soccer clawed back from almost certain defeat on Saturday for a famous victory.
The under-20 team overcame a three-goal deficit to beat Zambia on an away goal in a qualifying match that stretched credulity.
Down 4-1 after the first leg in Lusaka, the South Africans fought back at Athlone Stadium, winning 3-0 for a 4-4 aggregate.
Their away goal gave them the edge in this African Youth Championships qualifier.
South Africa have qualified to take part in the championships next year in Burkina Faso.
The South Africans were well prepared by coach Boebie Williams and his assistant, Mac Chenia, who worked them hard at the training camp held in the city last week.
Williams is also the national under-17 coach and was doing a caretaking job with the under-20s.
Zambia came convinced that South Africa would not be able to upset their plans of playing in the continent's elite youth tournament.
The head of the Zambian delegation, Emmanuel Munaile, was confident of victory when he spoke at a welcoming function on Thursday night. Munaile played soccer in South Africa in the 1980s for Dynamos and Manning Rangers.
The Zambians, however, were in a sour mood on Saturday night and left the stadium immediately after the game. Some of the Zambians jostled referee Rajanand Nunkoo of Mauritius after South Africa scored the third goal. The referee waited until the Zambian team left the pitch before he was escorted off by security.
Thando Mngomeni, brother of the more famous Thabo, scored two goals in South Africa's fightback before a big crowd that turned up at the revamped Athlone Stadium.
Mngomeni, the former Santos midfielder now with Supersport United, beat the offside trap in the 37th minute to put South Africa ahead. Hellenic's Vuyo Mere scored the second before Mngomeni notched the third goal three minutes into extra time after Zambia goalkeeper Danny Mulenga was penalised for holding on to the ball too long.
From the set piece Lance Davids played the ball to Mngomeni, who was expected to try to chip the defence. But Mngomeni saw a gap on the left side and stroked the ball on the ground into the far corner.
"I was going to chip the ball, but when I saw the gap, I decided to go for it and it worked," Mngomeni said. "Zambia came here with a plan to keep us out, and did not bet on our determination to win this one for our country."
Coach Williams said: "I was thrilled with the type of football the boys produced. There are players in this squad who are still to become household names as Bafana Bafana players.
"Although many people in the soccer world wrote us off because of the 4-1 lead Zambia had, I was confident that the team would bounce back.
"Two of the goals in the 4-1 defeat were scored in the last 15 minutes when the heat took its toll on our players, and I knew under normal circumstances we would do a lot better, and the team proved it."
The South Africans will play in a Cosafa under-20 tournament in Johannesburg next month.