Sundowns hit Mathaithai for six in Nedbank Cup cruise

Whenever Mamelodi Sundowns are paired with a team from the ABC Motsepe League in the Nedbank Cup, one cannot help but remember that record breaking 24-0 win over Powerlines FC in 2012. 

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In the last 16 of the Nedbank Cup yesterday against Mathaithai FC at the Lucas Moripe Stadium, the Brazilians were 2-0 up before you could finish your first beer or  coffee, just four minutes into the game.

It did look as though Sundowns would run rampant over the Free State-based side in a similar vein to Powerlines, but in the end the scoreline was a less emphatic, but still impressive 6-0, as Masandawana marched into the quarterfinals.

The opening goal was created by Aubrey Modiba who ventured on the right flank and was hardly challenged before he could launch a ball into the box, where the amateurs failed to clear their lines and Bradley Ralani tapped in .
No later than two minutes after Ralani’s strike, the hosts doubled up through the captain on the day, Themba Zwane, who was set-up by Ralani. After missing a couple of chances, Thabiso Kutumela finally got his name onto the scoresheet twice. For the first goal, he was teed up by Sibusiso Vilakazi, who came off the bench and inherited the captain’s armband as he made his 7th appearance for the season.

For his second strike, Kutumela was found by a returning Lebohang Maboe, who played the ball through the eye of the needle and Kutumela made no mistake, showing his experience to go around goalkeeper Mbali Tshabalala before slotting into an empty net. 
Maboe marked his first appearance of the season after recovering from a knee injury with two assists and a goal. Andile Jali got the cherry on top in the 88th minute, scoring a bolt of a strike from range.  

As expected, the trio of Downs coaches – Manqoba Mngqithi, Rhulani Mokwena and Steve Komphela – often referred to as ‘Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego’, used this match as a bit of an exhibition, giving a number of players who have not been getting enough game time a chance to play.