Six players for the future who helped Amajita win the U-20 Afcon

The South African Under-20 team made history winning the country’s first Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations with their stirring run to the final and 1-0 defeat of Morocco, prompting excitement about a talented batch of young emerging stars.

After losing against Egypt in their Group A opener, the South Africans won two and drew one to top Group A. Nobody’s tournament favourites, they were often on the back foot in their knockout wins against Democratic Republic of the Congo in the in quarterfinal (extra time), Nigeria in the semifinal — both 1-0 wins — and Morocco in the last game, but prevailed through sheer tenacity in defence and attack, and talent.

Here are six stars for the future who announced themselves in coach Raymond Mdaka’s team:

Tylon Smith, Stellenbosch FC, 20

Smith won Player of the Tournament. He marshalled South Africa’s defence, taking responsibility at centreback in the absence of a major star who would have been another huge performer in Egypt, Orlando Pirates’ Mbekezeli Mbokazi. 

Smith’s performances — combining intelligent positioning with pace and excellent timing in the challenge — played a major role in the three knockout stage clean sheets that were integral to Amajita lifting the trophy.

South Africa were under pressure from the DRC, Nigeria and Morocco in the knockouts, and came out with 1-0 wins thanks to their ability to see off bigger sides physically, who possessed more powerful attacks, thanks to their tenacious defence. When that failed, they had the best goalkeeper in the tournament as the last line of defence in Fletcher Lowe as the crucial final back-up.

Smith also was the creative “libero” influence with his skills and passing out of defence.

Promoted to the Stellenbosch FC senior team in August, he is yet to play and that is understandable given Steve Barker has ultra-dependable Thabo Moloisane and Ismaël Touré ruling the roost at centreback. But the 20-year-old was an important player in the Stellies under-23 team that ended second to Kaizer Chiefs in the 2024-25 DStv Diski Challenge (DDC) and is set for senior action soon.

Fletcher Lowe, Estoril Praia (Portugal), 18

South African goalkeeping is in safe hands and a name few South Africans knew ahead of the U-20 Afcon is being touted as a future Bafana Bafana star between the posts — Goalkeeper of the Tournament and final man of the match, Fletcher Lowe.

In the knockout stages the South Africans were often on the back foot and would be saved by their 18-year-old keeper who is on the books of the under-19s of Estoril Praia, the eighth-placed finishers in Portugal’s 2024-25 Primeira Liga. Lowe made the most saves in the Afcon — 24.

From Cape Town, the keeper is a product of that city’s Ubuntu Football Academy. His parents moved to Portugal for a work opportunity and to help further their son’s football career.

He started at amateur side Oeiras in the district of Lisbon his family moved to, impressed Alverca, then in the third division — they were promoted to the Primeira Liga at the end of this past campaign — and joined their under-17s in 2022. Lowe did so well there he was snapped up by the youth ranks of Portuguese giants Benfica a year later, where he spent a year.

After moving to Estoril in July last year, at just 18 he established himself as their regular under-23 team keeper. He impressed Mdaka in a training camp ahead of the U-20 Cosafa Cup, the qualifier for the Afcon, and sealed his place as Goalkeeper of the Tournament as South Africa conceded zero goals in five matches in Mozambique, beating Zambia 2-0 in the final.

Neo Rapoo, SuperSport United, 19

The unflappable, classy SuperSport United left-back deservedly made the Afcon Team of the Tournament — he was the best fullback in the competition. Mdaka had two strong left-backs at the Afcon, so sometimes Rapoo would be pushed up to left wing to accommodate Thato Sibiya in defence, or vice versa. Most of South Africa’s attacking impetus came from Rapoo’s foraging runs up the left flank, where he was also unbeatable in defence, seldom being caught out of position despite his love of the overlapping run.

Rapoo was also a source of accurate crosses and almost all Amajita’s set pieces with his sweet left boot. A modern fullback or wingback who has a big future and might attract attention overseas soon after his Afcon exploits, like his former SuperSport juniors teammate, Shandre Campbell, now at Belgium’s Club Brugges.

At 19, Rapoo is already a long-time DDC player for SuperSport, helping them win second place to Stellenbosch in the under-23 league in 2021-22 when he was just 17, then again when they were champions in 2022-23.

He is one of the Amajita players earning decent Premiership senior team action, with six appearances in all competitions in 2022-23 at just 16, just one game last season and then 15 this campaign for the battling side of coach Gavin Hunt, then interim boss Andre Arendse.

Thabang Mahlangu, SuperSport United, 19

Mahlangu was used as super-sub by Mdaka and scored three goals off the bench to be Amajita’s top scorer, one behind tournament Golden Boot winner Momoh Kamara of Sierra Leone.

Mobile and strongly built, Mahlangu was able to mix it up with physical opponents and get himself in good scoring positions, providing crucial goals through the tournament, including a brace in the 4-1 win against Sierra Leone and extra-time winner in the quarter clash against DRC.

He has begun seeing first team action at SuperSport where he played four times in all competitions last campaign and six this season. He is another important player in SuperSport’s under-23 team that finished second, first, fourth and fourth in the last four DDC seasons.

Shakeel April, Cape Town City, 19

It was something of a shock he did not make the Confederation of African Football’s Tournament XI. The classic speedster winger in the mould of a Delron Buckley — though on the right, not the left — tore through defences repeatedly and was a menace in all Amajita’s games with his ability to beat defenders and get shots on goal.

He scored the winner in the crucial 1-0 Group A win against Tanzania at Suez Canal Stadium in Ismailia that saw South Africa bounce back from their opening 1-0 defeat against Egypt. He was a constant thorn in the thrashing of Sierra Leone and then plagued DR Congo, Nigeria and Morocco in the knockouts.

April has been steadily making ground in the Cape Town City first team, with five appearances in all competitions in 2023-24 and 10 this season.

Gomolemo Kekana, Mamelodi Sundowns, 18

Kekana did far more through the tournament than just score the stunning winning goal in the 70th minute — initially disallowed, then cleared by video assistant referee — at June 30 Stadium in Cairo that won Amajita the final.

But that goal — collecting the ball upfield that was missed on the bounce by Reda Laalaloui, running into space down the left channel and striking superbly from just outside the box to beat goalkeeper Yanis Benchaouch, also said a lot about the central midfielder. The audacious manner of it, in a huge continental final, showed the Mamelodi Sundowns reserve prospect and TS Galaxy youth product is not just a middle of the park workhorse, and he certainly seems to have big-match temperament.

In partnership with live wire 17-year-old Lazola Maku in midfield, the pair withstood the onslaught that came from some big West and North Africans and held their own in the engine room.

Honourable mentions

Lazola Maku: The little midfielder, another from SuperSport’s development, partnered Kekana well in the middle of the park, where he was a lively presence, so much so he made the Team of the Tournament.

Jody Ah Shene: The Cape Town City forward showed his potential with a blistering strike from range against Sierra Leone. His intelligent running starting games often softened up defences for super-sub Mahlangu. Ah Shene could disappear in games, though and needs to up his work rate to become a senior international.

Siviwe Nkwali: The 19-year-old Cape Town Spurs centreback partnered Smith well and also helped minimise the affect of Mbokazi’s absence.

Thato Sibiya: The Sundowns left-back, 18, was so strong when he played it became difficult for Mdaka to leave him out so at times Rapoo would be pushed up to left wing, or vice versa.