New South African singing for MLS

Former South Africa under-20 international Geni Kanyane has joined Major League Soccer’s Chicago Fire after being drafted by the club last week.

Kanyane was among 90 players from colleges in the United States picked up by MLS clubs.

The defender spent the last four years on a soccer scholarship at the University of Dayton, making 72 appearances with four goals and seven assists, and playing in all 20 games for the college this year.

He helped Dayton to a historic season this year, earning the No 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament, where the University of Dayton Flyers advanced to the third round for the first time in their history.

Kanyane played for Wits at junior level before he moved to the US. He was named 2018 Engen Champ of Champs Player of the Tournament and was a member of South Africa’s under-20 team that won the Cosafa tournament the same year.

The 23-year-old Kanyane was the 63rd pick in the third round of the MLS draft and is one of two players from the University of Dayton to be selected, along with Joseph Melto Quiah from Liberia, who joins Toronto.

"I am extremely excited for both of these young men," said Dayton head coach Dennis Currier.

"They have unique journeys coming from Africa and have capped it off with an MLS Superdraft selection. This is also a testament to our program as we have had student-athletes selected in each of the last five drafts. Melto and Geni were part of the most successful team in Dayton's history and their teammates played a critical role in this accomplishment."

Kanyane is the latest South African to play in the North American league, along with Bongokuhle Hlongwane at Minnesota United and Tsiki Ntsabaleng at Dallas.

Njabulo Blom is expected to return to St Louis City in June when his one-season loan at Kaizer Chiefs comes to an end. Cassius Mailula is on loan at Wydad Casablanca in Morocco from Toronto FC.