EXCITING South African youngster Ethen Sampson made his professional debut on Saturday when he started for Major Soccer League side Vancouver Whitecaps against DC United.
The 20-year-old defender, a former teammate of Ayanda Patosi's at the ASD Academy in Cape Town, made his bow in the 0-0 draw and lasted for 54 minutes before succumbing to cramps.
It is a first ever senior game for the player, who signed a professional contract with the Canadian team in March, but had been sidelined up to now with a knee injury.
Sampson featured for his side at right-back and gave a typically robust performance before being forced off. The youngster is the only South African currently playing in America's top league, where the likes of Doctor Khumalo, Shaun Bartlett and Ivan McKinley played in the past.
He first arrived for trials in Canada in October 2012 and was signed up to the club's Under-23 set-up last year.
There he impressed, but also spent the required 12 months with the team to now be classed as a "home-grown" player, meaning the Whitecaps could sign him without the player being involved in the MLS draft of players, which is usually the way clubs gain players.
Sampson debuts in MSL
EXCITING South African youngster Ethen Sampson made his professional debut on Saturday when he started for Major Soccer League side Vancouver Whitecaps against DC United.
The 20-year-old defender, a former teammate of Ayanda Patosi's at the ASD Academy in Cape Town, made his bow in the 0-0 draw and lasted for 54 minutes before succumbing to cramps.
It is a first ever senior game for the player, who signed a professional contract with the Canadian team in March, but had been sidelined up to now with a knee injury.
Sampson featured for his side at right-back and gave a typically robust performance before being forced off. The youngster is the only South African currently playing in America's top league, where the likes of Doctor Khumalo, Shaun Bartlett and Ivan McKinley played in the past.
He first arrived for trials in Canada in October 2012 and was signed up to the club's Under-23 set-up last year.
There he impressed, but also spent the required 12 months with the team to now be classed as a "home-grown" player, meaning the Whitecaps could sign him without the player being involved in the MLS draft of players, which is usually the way clubs gain players.
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