Mamelodi Sundowns players celebrate a goal during the Nedbank Cup, Last 32 match against NB La Masia at Dobsonville Stadium on Tuesday. (Photo by Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images)
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena was full of praise for his South American quartet of Gaston Sirino, Marcelo Allende, Junior Mendieta and the latest arrival Matias Esquivel, who all starred in the 6-1 demolition of NB La Masia in a Nedbank Cup clash on Tuesday.
READ MORE: Sirino hat-trick helps Sundowns smash La Masia
Uruguayan and fan-favourite, Sirino, was a hat-trick hero on the night while Argentine Esquivel who combined well with his countryman Mendieta scored his first goal for Sundowns and provided an assist for Terence Mashego.
Lebohang Maboe also got on the scoresheet and had two assists as the Brazilians ran riot at Dobsonville Stadium with Chilean Allende also in the thick of things.
“I call it the Spanish guitar but you know the guitar still has to play to the tune of the team,” Mokwena said about his Latin American contingent.
“There are no individuals within the team and they are part of Sundowns. They were all good today, they showed good attitude and mentality. It’s just a pity that we had to take Mendieta off at half-time because you could see that they were trying to provoke him a little bit.”
There was also a debut for new signing Zuko Mdunyelwa who joined the Tshwane giants from Chippa United on a long-term deal to provide some much needed competition for first choice right back Khuliso Mudau.
“You have to be patient because it was the same as Sailor (Khuliso Mudau) because when he arrived, there were questions on whether will he play at Sundowns,” Mokwena said.
“He (Mudau) was shaky at the beginning but look at where he is today so Zuko has a lot of potential and that’s what we brought him here for because of his potential.
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“We have to be patient but he did well today because the right back position at Sundowns is a little bit different at the moment. So he has to play different to how he played at Chippa but we have a lot of time for him and we will be very patient.”
Masandawana will next travel to Mauritania to take on FC Nouadhibou in a CAF Champions League match on Saturday.
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