Tylon Smith talks about his future at AFCON Under-20

Ahead of the start of the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt on 27 April, Amajita and Stellenbosch FC defender Tylon Smith spoke about the roles he has to play in the Junior Africa Cup.

The tournament will start on 27 April and end on Sunday 18 May, with South Africa in Group A and Egypt, Sierra Leone, Zambia, and Tanzania in their group. So it will be a tough matchup for each of the teams competing in this tournament.

Amajita's first game will be against tournament hosts Egypt in the first match in Cairo, and the young defender will be part of the team that won the COSAFA U-20 Championships against their neighbours Zambia.

His performances at home led to him being one of the players involved in the match against Egypt in the first-leg of the CHAN qualifiers a month ago, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

The young center-back emphasized he won't alter his natural playing style or take unnecessary risks in an attempt to stand out, acknowledging the wealth of talent around him in the squad.

When questioned about potentially winning the Defender of the Tournament award at the upcoming junior AFCON, Smith responded: "For me, it's about sticking to my normal game and focusing on core defensive principles. There's no need to try to be the hero - we have so much quality in this team. My job is to defend solidly, avoid conceding, and distribute the ball effectively to our talented players."

Reflecting on Amajita's impressive defensive record at last year's COSAFA U-20 Championships, Smith highlighted their preparation blueprint: "Our clean sheets came from rigorous training, maintaining discipline in our basics, and executing the coach's game plan precisely. We're confident we can replicate this approach successfully at AFCON," he concluded.