Cape Town - Wiseman Meyiwa says he is grateful for the opportunity handed to him by Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter to play at the recently ended COSAFA Cup.
The young Kaizer Chiefs midfielder was part of the national team squad that clinched the Plate medal after beating Botswana 3-0 in the final.
Meyiwa was among four of the Amakhosi youngsters that were in the Bafana Bafana team and admitted that they were disappointed not to win the main competition, but was happy to get game time at the tournament.
The midfielder also said its encouraging for him to have played for the senior national team having come through the ranks from the national under-17 side.
Meyiwa told his club website:"I played two matches and I am grateful to the coaching staff at Bafana Bafana. I am happy to have gotten game time, but at the same time disappointed not have properly won the Cosafa Cup.
"Luck was not on our side. We tried our best and we will take the positives and move forward. The Bafana camp was great, because we gelled as a team and the spirit was great. Most of us played together from the junior levels.
"For example, I played with Lyle Foster and Khulekani Kubheka from the Under-17s upwards. It is great to see us slowly graduating to the senior levels. Youth must take this as an encouragement to reach for their dreams.
"I just wish that more youth would support the team. I can't wait to get back into the field in the gold and black.
"I'm encouraging the youth to attend matches in numbers. Sport offers youth an opportunity to exercise their talents and stay away from wrong doing."