As the son of a former Amakhosi hero, Khanyisa Mayo couldn’t have wished for a better start to his Kaizer Chiefs career when he scored the opening goal against Marumo Gallants in front of the adoring fanbase at FNB stadium on Wednesday. The visitors had managed to salvage a 1-1 draw by the final whistle of their Betway Premiership meeting but the signs are positive that the lanky forward is capable of spearheading the Chiefs attack this season.

“I felt good going into the game,” he tells www.kaizerchiefs.com after the match, “I have been training hard to get into the match-day squad. Everyone at the Club has been very supportive of me since I joined, which I am grateful for.

“Walking onto the pitch was a moment I could celebrate personally,” he continues, “but I was aware that there was a job to be done and I was determined to make the most of finally becoming a Glamour Boy. It was very emotional. I can’t really describe the elation I felt inside. It was such a great feeling. It motivates me to want to do it more, especially to help the team achieve its targets.”

For Mayo, it was particularly satisfying to emulate his father, Patrick, also a striker, who represented Amakhosi with distinction almost two decades ago.

“Living up to my father’s legacy, filling his shoes was very special. It’s not easy growing up under the pressure (of having a famous footballing father),” he reveals, “but I take it as it comes. We are all people in our own right and we all have to work hard to be successful.

“This was only my first game and I believe I have more room to improve as I familiarise myself with my new environment and adapt to the structures, but I’d say I have already settled in to some extent because South Africa is always home and I am playing for the biggest club in the country, so it’s going well so far and I’ll keep focused on the job at hand, which is to win football matches.”

Amakhosi will feel they ought to have taken all three points against Bahlabane Ba Ntwa in a match they dominated, although Mayo takes a more philosophical perspective, opining, “Today was not the result we wanted but we got something from the game and look forward to doing better next time. We train hard and treat every game like it’s a cup final. We are striving for consistency at a high level.”

The 27-year-old concludes with a special word of appreciation for the Amakhosi Faithful, whose passion and dedication serves as a constant source of inspiration to the team.

“The supporters always come out in numbers to support us. They are our 12^th man, giving us incredible moral support from the stands when they cheer us,” he says, “I encourage them to keep coming to watch us and help us realise our ambitions together.”