Kaizer Chiefs’ rising star Mfundo Vilakazi shone brightly for the national Under-20 team, when he scored in both of Amajita’s two recent friendlies against Lesotho, played last Friday and Sunday in the Mountain Kingdom.

Obrigado, as Vilakazi is affectionately known, opened the scoring against the hosts at the Bambatha Tšita Sports Arena in Maseru on Friday afternoon. His teammates, Kutlwano Letlhaku and Shakeel April, also found the net for Raymond Mdaka’s team in a 3-1 victory. Lesotho responded with a solitary goal through Paseka Maile.

The two teams met again on Sunday morning and Amajita were more ruthless as they put four goals past Lesotho, who were not able to respond. Vilakazi was on the scoresheet once again, this time coming from the bench in the 80^th minute to put the final nail on the coffin by scoring the fourth goal for South Africa. Duane Bennet, Langelihle Phili and Shakeel April scored Amajita’s first three goals.

The two matches were part of the team’s preparation for the CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and the Cosafa Under-20 Championship, scheduled for next month.

18-year-old Vilakazi, who is back in South Africa after the short trip to neighbouring Lesotho, says he is happy with the team’s overall performance and was pleased that he could contribute with two goals in the two matches.

“We played well as a team with the guidance of our new coach, Mdaka,” said Vilakazi, adding, “Each coach is different, and I enjoyed working with him. We did our best and we plan to keep on working hard to make sure we win our games and qualify for big tournaments.”

“I want to take the experience and hope to replicate the performance when we start the new season at Kaizer Chiefs. We will work hard to make sure that supporters are happy from the first game of the season in September,” he concluded.