Orlando Pirates midfielder Patrick Maswanganyi has offered words of encouragement to Kaizer Chiefs youngster Mfundo Vilakazi following his team’s heavy loss on Saturday.
Chiefs were on the receiving end of a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Mamelodi Sundowns in the Carling Knockout on Saturday with Vilakazi coming in the second half when the Glamour Boys had been reduced to 10 men and trailing.
The teen sensation could not do much and left the pitch dejected after the heavy loss but he received support from unlikely quarters when Maswanganyi put rivalry aside to offer him a word of encouragement.
‘Tito’ put rivalry aside to support Vilakazi
“Kuzolunga njayam khululeka [it’s going be fine my brother, don’t stress],” Tito wrote on his Instagram story in an effort to boost the confidence of the 18-year-old.
Vilakazi is among a number of Chiefs youngsters whom coach Nasreddine Nabi has put his trust in this season, alongside Mduduzi Shabalala, Samkelo Zwane and Wandile Duba, and there has been relative success.
The youngster has made six appearances for Amakhosi this season, scoring one goal although the tactician has been managing his minutes.
What does Nabi think of the youngsters?
“[Samkelo] Zwane, Vilakazi, [Wandile] Duba, [Nkosingiphile] Ngcobo, [Mduduzi] Shabalala, these players are capital [investments] for Kaizer Chiefs,” Nabi recently said about the club’s young players.
“They are great capital, which says that we need to complete the team with players of experience and quality to make even the youngsters grow with them and make Chiefs reach better places.
“It doesn’t mean we want to put them aside and replace them but to come in and compete and make a good balance in the team.”
