Mdunyelwa: Cape Town City promote Amajita defender and six youngsters

Cape Town City have strengthened their first team squad by promoting seven players from their academy and reserve team.

The Citizens are preparing for the resumption of the 2019/20 PSL season with the first game set to take place on Tuesday night, which is a titanic clash between Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates.

City, who face Chippa United on Friday, have brought in seven new players as they look to retain their status in the elite league this term.

The Western Cape-based side released the following statement on Tuesday morning announcing the promotion of several youngsters, including South Africa under-20 international Zuko Mdunyelwa.

A club statement read: "Coach [JOR] Jan Olde Riekerink has promoted seven academy players to the PSL training camp."

"Olwethu Nyembe, Eyona Ndondo, Zaakir Allie, Taahir Goedeman, Jared van der Berg, Zuko Mdunyelwa, and Diego Appollis have all been included in the first team since the lockdown."

Mdunyelwa was named in South Africa's provisional 50-man squad ahead of the 2019 Fifa Under-20 World Cup finals, but he did not make the cut.

However, the young defender had helped Amajita successfully defend their Cosafa Under-20 Championship title in Zambia in 2018.

City also promoted former Ajax Cape Town player Zaakir Allie, who has been playing for the Citizens' reserve team in the Multichoice Diski Challenge (MDC) this season.

The 20-year-old midfielder signed his maiden professional contract with then-PSL side Ajax in March 2018.

However, Allie, who spent some time with Ajax Amsterdam’s U19 team two years ago, found it difficult to break into the Urban Warriors' match-day squads.

The attack-minded player parted ways with the Ikamva-based side following its relegation to the National First Division (NFD) in May 2019 and he moved to their Mother City rivals, City.

Allie will be hoping to impress City head coach Jan Olde Riekerink and make his professional debut during the matches in the Biolocally Safe Environment (BSE) in Gauteng.

The Citizens have been drawn to play their home games at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria as the league resumes following a four-month break which was enforced by the coronavirus pandemic.

Riekerink's side, who are four points above the relegation zone on the PSL standings, will be away to Chippa at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, Johannesburg on Friday.