Cape Town - He may be Portuguese, but Joaquim Lupeta will have to prove his worth for Ajax Cape Town after battling at Wits last season.
Ajax announced the signing of Lupeta - who is of DR Congo descent, but was born in Portugal - on Friday, subject to him passing a medical, on a two-year deal. But the 23-year-old, who has played for Portugal Under-18 and Portuguese club Vitoria Setubal in the past, has yet to score his first goal in South Africa.
Wits coach Gavin Hunt was as forthright as usual when lamenting Lupeta’s struggles in front of goal for the “Clever Boys” following a lacklustre performance in the final game of the league season, a 1-0 defeat to Ajax, ironically enough.
“You know Phakamani (Mahlambi), (James) Keene, Papy Faty, Jabu Shongwe, Tyson (Thulani Hlatshwayo) and Jabu Shongwe, we miss them,” Hunt told Soccer Laduma. “They are all top Bafana players. We’ve taken them out of the team and we’re struggling to play with… you know.
“I mean the boy upfront (Lupeta), he’s been here for 17 games and he hasn’t scored one goal. He should have scored four (against Ajax). He could have been top goal scorer in six games in the country.”
And after Ajax missed out on the top eight last season, coach Roger de Sa needs more goals from the rest of the strike-force to support leading marksman Prince Nxumalo, who ended second on the Absa Premiership scorers’ list with 13, one behind Mpumalanga Black Aces veteran Collins Mbesuma.
The Urban Warriors said in a statement on their website on Friday that Lupeta will join Nxumalo, the experienced Nathan Paulse, Tashreeq Morris, Thomas Chideu and Mogamat May, who has been promoted from the youth structures to the first team.
Earlier this week, Ajax lost stalwarts Abbubaker Mobara and Riyaad Norodien to Orlando Pirates, but chief executive Ari Efstathiou says there will be further signings before the new season kicks off in August.
“We are nearing completion of one or two more exciting signings in the next few days. Then our squad will be complete and ready to challenge for more silverware in the new season,” Efstathiou said.
@IndyCapeSport
Independent Media