Youngsters To Watch – Soweto Derby

Every footballer in the Soweto Derby wants to establish his name or cement it among other well knows names in South African football. There are several superstars emerged from this prominent fixture, such as Thulasizwe Mbuyane who was always on the score sheet in the Soweto derby, and Thembinkosi Lorch who scored on five occasions against Chiefs.

Ahead of the weekend’s fixture in the Nedbank Semi-final, we look at promising youngsters most likely to make a difference for their respective teams on the day.

3: Relebohile Ramoto – Orlando Pirates

The 17-year-old Vaal-born waited patiently for his turn in the Orlando Pirates’ first team after impressing in the DStv Diski Challenge (DDC), a reserve league dominated by youngsters. Ratomo has been the shining star for the Buc’s reserved side, scoring nine goals and providing 13 assists in 21 games, helping the Buccaneers to claim the second spot in the log behind leaders SuperSport United.

After making four appearances on the bench for Orlando Pirates, the promising superstar finally got a taste of top-flight football as his mentor Jose Riveiro included him in his starting line-up in a one-all draw at home against Royal AM on Wednesday afternoon.

2: Samkelo Zwane – Kaizer Chiefs

Samkelo Zwane also established himself as one of the best players in the DStv Diski Challenge (DDC), leading many to call for his promotion to the Kaizer Chiefs senior team. The 21-year-old has been a missing factor in the Amakhosi’s central midfield, likened to the great Tinashe Nengomasha.

The Amakhosi rising star has made 12 appearances in all competitions and has been influential in the midfield for the Soweto giants since being promoted to the first team.

1: Mduduzi Shabalala – Kaizer Chief

Mdu Shabalala has been on every South African football fan’s lips in the past few months. The 19-year-old has made over 15 appearances for Kaizer Chiefs in all competitions, scoring on his first debut against Maritzburg United and contributing two goals.

His partnership with Dolly, Samkelo Zwane whom he played with in the DStv Diski Challenge will be interesting to watch in the Soweto derby. His flair and skill will also be what fans (90 000) will be looking forward to on Saturday at FNB Stadium,

Siphamandla Lindwa

Siphamandla Lindwa is a sports writer and a publisher for Bet Central at Bet.co.za. He obtained a B-Tech in Sports Management from Tshwane University of Technology. When not writing sports content, Sipha scouts talent and networks for his future Sports Management agency.