Stellenbosch FC’s newest debutant, Cheswyn Philander, has expressed his gratitude to the technical team for showing confidence in him after he made his professional debut last week.
The 21-year-old striker, who joined Stellenbosch FC’s reserve team from Ubuntu FC at the start of the season, came off the bench to help his team secure a 2-1 come-from-behind win over Kruger United in the Nedbank Cup Round of 32.
Philander, affectionately known as “Lega”, hailed from Ocean View and started playing football at the age of 12 with a local community club. He worked his way up to the SAB League with Ocean View Football Club before being snapped up by Ubuntu FC.
His impressive performance against Stellenbosch FC in a mid-season friendly last year, where he scored a hat-trick, caught the eye of the Stellenbosch FC coaches, leading to his signing.
Philander reflected on his debut, saying, “Personally, I think it was a very good debut for me and a very good experience to play in front of our fans. It was very special to make my debut and even more so to do it at Danie Craven Stadium.”
He also praised the coaches for trusting him to make an impact in the game, saying, “What stands out for me the most though, and what gives me the most confidence, is that the coaches trusted me in that moment, with us 1-0 down, to come on and affect the game. That trust and belief is very special for me.”
Philander remains part of the Stellenbosch FC reserve team and recently scored in the team’s 3-0 derby win over Cape Town City. However, his ambition is clear: to become a first-team regular.
“I want to be a first-team regular,” he said. “I know I will have to keep working hard and focus on improving my game, but I believe I have what it takes to stay on this path towards achieving that.”
With his debut under his belt and a clear goal in mind, Philander is certainly one to watch in the future.
