Manchester United’s star defender Rio Ferdinand has expressed his admiration for Zimbabwe international and Ajax Cape Town talisman Khama Billiat.
Ferdinand’s United was held 1-1 by Ajax Cape Town in an enthralling pre-season friendly match at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.
“If they are really youngsters, they have quite a few of really good players. Their two centre halves (Nazeer Allie and Matthew Booth), but their number 11 (Khama Billiat) is their most exciting player for me,” Ferdinand told a South African football website Football411.com after the match.
“He is good when in position, good ball control and a can use his speed really well. Overall, an exciting player.”
Billiat, who played the entire 90 minutes, was not overwhelmed by the occasion and stood out whenever he was in possession of the ball.
With a bit of luck, the Aces Youth Academy product could have opened the scoring midway into the first half when his shot from outside the box went just outside of Ben Amos’s left-hand post. Billiat’s compatriot Tafadzwa Rusike also featured in the match before he was substituted in the second half.
Ferdinand went on to sing praises for the Cape Town Stadium, labelling it a world-class facility.
“Obviously this game was the better of the two games. It was more intense and more tactical, but most importantly it was played in a world-class stadium in front of an amazing atmosphere.
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“The last time I was here, it was during the World Cup and I didn’t get the feel of the fields because of injury.
“They are both great stadiums, but this one is the better,” he concluded.
United continue their pre-season tour in Asia where they will take on Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua.
