Chippa United coach and Coastal United technical advisor Kurt Lentjies has identified 16-year-old Luphumlo Sifumba as one of the brightest young prospects in South African football.
Cape Town City FC midfielder Sifumba made history this season as the youngest ever to feature in the DStv Diski Challenge Rewired this season.
He was quickly promoted to train with the first team and in his maiden appearance in senior colours on Saturday the Philippi-born starlet came off the bench to register Coastal’s third goal in the 3-0 victory over Dinaledi in the DStv Compact Cup at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Lentjies reveals that so good was Sifumba in training that he and Coastal head coach Steve Barker just had to give him a chance.
Ladies and Gentlemen...
— Shakes Rampedi (@ShakesRampedi) January 22, 2022
15 year old Luphumlo Sifumba 🔥🔥🔥
Awareness and clinical finish 👌🏽
The biggest positive today DEFINITELY
Cape Town City have a gem here#DSTVCompactCup #DStvPrem #DStvPremiershippic.twitter.com/KUOpx6Cbyz
“He wouldn’t be here if we and the supporters who voted for him didn’t think he was capable,” said Lentjies.
“He showed it in training and it was a given he would come on. We decided that the boy, the way he was training, he deserved to play.
“With coach Eric [Tinkler] knowing him from Cape Town City and coach Steve (Barker) having a look at him for the first time in training … wow, what a player for the future. And not even the future, why not now?
“Sixteen years old, first touch and he scores a goal. But not just the goal, everything he did after that as well. So I am happy for him, but not just me, everybody in the technical team was happy for him.”
