Juan Camilo Zapata has wasted no time settling into life at Cape Town City.
The Colombian forward crossed the Atlantic to make the January move after convincing City chairman John Comitis to bring the 28-year-old from Venezuelan club CD Hermanos Colmenarez for a reported R10m.
His 19 goals for his old club last term was the best haul of his career and he is off the mark already in the PSL after just two games in the Blue and Gold.
The versatile attacker scored with a header to spark City’s 2-1 comeback win over Orlando Pirates last weekend.
FULL TIME | WE DID IT!
City turn the game around and take all 3 points! 🔥
What a game, what a day, thank you 💙#PiratesInTheCity pic.twitter.com/i2sMHV9t72
And on Saturday at 5.30pm, he is looking to chip in with more goals at Chippa United, when seventh meets ninth. City and Chippa are both have 19 points, but the Kaapenaars lead courtesy of goal difference and have a game in hand on their hosts.
As things stand on the #DStvPrem standings at the halfway mark of the season 👀
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) January 9, 2023
While the Colombian is celebrating his maiden goal in Mzansi, Daily Voice got the shot to be the first media outlet to talk to the talented hitman.
And like Zapata, we got straight to business - talking about goals.
Asked about his fast start, he says: “Thank God I could score so soon, in my second game here.”
Zapata is hoping his valuable goal against Bucs is the first of many.
And having tasted South American continental action in the Copa Sudamericana, he is aiming to fire City back into Africa - with the Citizens’ maiden run in the Caf Champions League and Confederation Cup all over before reaching the group stages.
With City seventh on the PSL log, they are seven points off a Confederation Cup qualifying spot through the league and eight off the runners-up spot - where they finished last season - at the halfway mark of the season.
It’s a long road until the end of the campaign and despite his instant impact, Zapata is taking nothing for granted and reckons he has his work cut out for him.
He explains: “My target for the season is helping the team to get the highest position possible, to enter in continental competition.
“I’m confident, it’s not easy but with hard work everything is possible.”
Zapata isn’t alone on his journey, with fellow Latin American Darwin Gonzalez helping to make his transition a little easier.
They are the only two Spanish-speaking players at the club and get all of coach Eric Tinkler’s team talks and instructions translated by the goalkeeper coach.
He’s also already learned that while his English isn’t great, he has no excuses not to follow in Gonzalez’s footsteps - who is the club’s leading goalscorer this season in the league with four strikes.
And he will let his football do the talking after impressing his teammates, captain Thami Mkhize tipping him for big things and midfielder Thabo Nodada praising his combination play.
Already he has applied himself to making the most of his new challenge.
Sussing out the PSL, he says: “I think the speed of the league is different of the one I come from, so it took me some time to get used to it, but as I said before, with hard work I know I can do a good job here.
“In this league most of the players are very fast and with a good technique, so I think I can make a difference with my intelligence.”
That intelligence will be a key tool in his mission to shoot City up the table.
Coach Tinkler brought the diminutive ace over not just for his goals but for his link-up play too. He can slot in anywhere across City’s front four.
And he is short in stature at 1.70m, his bravery and commitment was there for all to see when threw himself at Lyle Lakay’s cross to head home his opening goal.
It’s the sort of character traits you have to have to make it out of his hometown of Medellin. Colombia’s second largest City was put on the map in the 1980s by infamous drug lord Pablo Escobar.
But Zapata is enjoying life in the Mother City now, even though he is not trying to speak any South African slang just yet.
He adds of his new home: “Cape Town is a beautiful city.
“I enjoy the beach, the people and a lot of great places the city has. I feel good now living here, step by step adapting myself to everything.”
Meanwhile, the Cape’s other PSL side, Stellenbosch need to ruk themselves reg after going seven matches without a win.
Leading bottom club Marumo Gallants thanks to Junior Mendieta’s 50th-minute strike, they were denied at the death by Ranga Chivaviro’s 89th-minute header.
🚨 𝙉![CDATA[]]>𝙀![CDATA[]]>𝙓![CDATA[]]>𝙏 𝙈![CDATA[]]>𝘼![CDATA[]]>𝙏![CDATA[]]>𝘾![CDATA[]]>𝙃 🚨
— Stellenbosch FC (@StellenboschFC) January 12, 2023
We move 👊
🏆 #DStvPrem
🆚 @SekhukhuneFc
🗓 14 JAN
🏟 Danie Craven Stadium
🕢 17H30
📺 Broadcasted , channel TBC
🎟 Purchase online at https://t.co/M2vAX4gCrb or at any Pick ’n Pay Outlet. Get your Grand stand ticket for R40. pic.twitter.com/5P6Jg0BebV
Still 13th on the PSL log with 17 points, they host Sekhukhune United on Saturday at 5.30pm with the chance to climb into the top eight.
WEEKEND’S PSL FIXTURES
Tonight: AmaZulu v Chiefs (7.30pm)
Tomorrow: Gallants v Richards Bay, Pirates v Arrows (3.30pm), Stellenbosch v Sekhukhune (5.30pm)
Sunday: Swallows v TS Galaxy (3.30pm), Martizburg v Royal AM (5.30pm)
matthew.marcus@inl.co.za