Tylon Smith shines bright in Amajita’s statement win at AFCON U20

With Amajita leading 2-0, there were pressure moments in the second half, when the tournament's leading goal scorer Momoh Kamara pulled one back. Smith, a Stellenbosch FC defender, showed his class in this game and said the compactness helped them in their game.

"First of all, I'm very happy for this win, but I do feel like we could've done better. It was a very tough game because of their physicality. Our discipline was top, we were compact, and we played as a team," explained the young centre half.

READ: Amajita keep feet on the ground after Sierra Leone triumph at AFCON U20

Smith, a towering 19-year-old centre-back, marshalled the defense very well in this game, playing alongside Siviwe Nkwali. As he looks ahead to the next game against Zambia on Friday, Smith says their COSAFA rivalry adds another dimension to this game.

"We knew they were going to come at us after scoring that second goal, but we motivate one another, and we said to ourselves that we have to fight for one another and just simply play our football. 

"Zambia can really play, we've played them before in the COSAFA Championships so we know their gameplay and their strengths, but we just have to go out there and fight for a win," said Smith. 

Coming off the bench, Amajita and SuperSport United striker Thabang Mahlangu made a huge impression in this game, scoring a brace in a space of just three minutes. He was very happy with his delivery.

"I am just so happy that we got the three points, and we have clearly set the tone for our next match against Zambia. I'm also happy and really emotional that I was able to make such a great impact off the bench," said a buzzing Mahlangu. 

It was also the first time that the strikers had scored in this tournament for Amajita. Marksman Jody Ah-Shene had netted the opening goal. Mahlangu and Smith believe this is good for the team's confidence and momentum.