Cape Town City striker played the full match against Botswana after having come off the bench for the final 21 minutes against Sierra Leone.
Patrick Mayo would no doubt have been looking on proudly when his son Khanyisa made his first Bafana Bafana start on Tuesday night at the FNB Stadium.
Playing as an inverted right winger, the left-footed Mayo operates rather similarly to players like Lionel Messi, Riyad Mahrez, Angel Di Maria and Antoine Griezman.
Easy on the eye, he glides over the ground almost hypnotically before a drop of the shoulder and a burst of speed past a defender, both on the inside and the outside.
He’s got excellent pace and fantastic balance and the sweetest of left boots – he must be one of the cleanest strikers of the ball in the PSL. The 24-year-old is also very useful on free-kicks.
Of course Mayo has a long way to go and for now remains a work-in-progress being polished by Cape Town City.
But it seems like his career, which has also taken in Ubuntu Cape Town, Royal Eagles and Richards Bay, is really starting to blossom. Now might be his time.
Being involved in the friendlies against Sierra Leone and Botswana will have given him a good shot of confidence and he looked the part on the international stage, even if it wasn’t against the most illustrious of opponents.
Domestically, Mayo’s been in scintillating form with the Citizens and has four goals and two assists in nine matches, a top return. Playing in the Caf Champions League with the Cape side will also fast-track his development.
No doubt City will want to hold onto their forward for the foreseeable future and try and keep him focused in the middle of the increasing attention he will be getting if his fine form continues.
No doubt City will want to hold onto their forward for the foreseeable future and try and keep him focused in the middle of the increasing attention he will be getting if his fine form continues.
The Cape club have, however, been willing to let their top stars leave for what the player may view as a bigger stage – such as playing for one of the country’s biggest clubs, be that Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates or Mamelodi Sundowns, or in some cases, moving abroad.
Amakhosi, starved now for a while of a reliable striker, will surely be keeping an eye on Mayo and it’s not unimaginable that he might one day end up playing for the same team his dad did with distinction between 2003 and 2007.
Mayo senior ended up more of a utility player with Amakhosi, playing a number of positions. While at Umtata Bucks though he smashed in 40 goals in 100 matches and also netted six goals in 18 caps for Bafana Bafana.
