Sporting Anderlecht are currently staying in the Dutch Tegelen for a five-day practice session. As usual, coach Ariël Jacobs has invited a few youngsters to join them. This time, Junior Kabananga and Amaury Mabika were the lucky ones. It is the first time both U-21 players experience a practice session with the first team. RSCA.be headed for the Netherlands and had a talk with the 21-year-old striker Junior Kabananga, who recently signed a three-year contract at RSCA.

Junior is a strong forward. “I'm a genuine striker”, he said. “My strong points are my left foot and ball control. My right foot, on the other hand, still needs some improvement”, Kabananga, who looks up to Zlatan Ibrahimovic and cheers on Brazil at the World Cup, said.

Junior played for the Purple & White U-21 last season and played an important role in gaining the title with eight goals (in 17 matches). For the striker, Anderlecht is his first foreign adventure. “I grew up in Kinshasa, Congo and I have always played there, until I came to Belgium. I used to play for FC MK Etanchéité”, the 21-year-old forward, who is part of a family where there are seven children, said. “I come from a big family, but I have never really been homesick. I have been received well in Anderlecht and got used to being away from my family soon. During the holidays I was also able to return home for a month”, Kabananga said.

For Kabananga this is not only his first practice session, but also the first time he trains along with the first team. “On Saturday 19th June, I learned that I would be part of the group for the practice session in the Netherlands”, Junior said. “It’s going very well. I am also glad that Ziguy is here too. Ziguy was one of my closest friends in the U-21 team, so it’s nice to see him again here. I have not really spoken with the players of the first team yet, but these are only the first practice session days”, he said. “Training is very intense and you can feel that the level is higher here than it is with the U-21. I hope that this practice session will help me achieve my goal for 2010: play in Anderlecht’s first team…”