WATCH | Ajax Cape Town youngsters continue to shine in Europe

Ajax Cape Town may be fighting a legal battle to avoid relegation from the Absa Premiership‚ but their youngsters continue to shine in Europe after the club’s Under-19 finished second at a prestigious youth competition in the Netherlands.

It is the second year running that Ajax have been silver medallists at the Terborgtoernooi‚ and like in 2017 they lost to Brazilian opposition in the decider‚ though quite remarkably they made the final by winning only one game.

Following a 0-0 draw with Belgian side Club Brugge‚ they beat Dutch club De Graafschap 2-0 and then played to a 1-1 draw with Brazilians Palmeiras.

That was enough to book a semifinal spot‚ where they edged another Brazilian club‚ Atletico Paranaense‚ 5-4 on penalties after a 0-0 draw‚ including a pressure kick from rising star Bongolwethu Siyasi‚ who is just 15 years old.

It set up a meeting with Palmeiras again in the decider‚ where they lost 2-0 to pick up silver again after final heartache 12 months ago against Atlético Mineiro.

Ajax were hampered in the final by the loss of key players Lassina Traore‚ Kegan Johannes and Dante Brown to injury.

Traore has been particularly impressive on their tour‚ with the 17-year-old Burkina Faso international tipped for a move to Europe this summer‚ with Ajax Amsterdam reportedly interested in taking him to Holland.

He has already trained with the Dutch club earlier in the season and TimesLIVE understands there is concrete interest in the player.

Last year‚ winger Leo Thethani walked away with both the Player and Top Goalscorer of the Tournament prizes at the Terborgtoernooi‚ which won him a move to Amsterdam‚ though his progress has been stunted by a serious knee injury.

Defender Dean Solomons is the other player that made the move from Cape Town and he has been a regular for the Ajax Amsterdam Under-19s this past season.