By Michael Madyira
Mamelodi Sundowns might have delivered a Nedbank Cup statement of intent to traditional rivals Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates with Tuesday’s routing of La Masia.
The Brazilians hammered the National First Division side 6-1 at Dobsonville Stadium.
Gaston Sirino grabbed a hat-trick while Divine Lunga, Lebohang Maboe and new signing Matias Esquivel weighed in with a goal each.
Masandawana went into attack mode against the lower-tier side as Amakhosi and the Buccaneers watched.
What could concern Chiefs and Pirates is the depth in the Sundowns squad, as most of the regular players were absent nursing injuries.
Sundowns coach Rhulani Mokwena told the media after the La Masia match that some of the players who came back from the Africa Cup of Nations tournament with Bafana could not play because they returned with serious injuries.
“It is what it is and we have to try to use the rest of the squad. You saw it today [against La Masia] and you saw against Pirates that they have the quality to compete and help the team.”
Tuesday’s result could worry the Soweto giants who are keen to use the Nedbank Cup as their gateway to play continental football next season as they struggle to get into the top-three on the Premier Soccer League table.
Chiefs have not won any silverware in nine years and they kick off their Nedbank Cup against Division One side Milford on Sunday.
Amakhosi have a grim record of being haunted by lower-tier teams in this competition in recent years, notably being humiliated by TS Galaxy and Richards Bay, who were both First Division sides at the time.
Their Soweto rivals Pirates are the Nedbank Cup defending champions and face third-tier outfit Crystal Lake on Saturday.
Pictured above: Mamelodi Sundowns attackers Gaston Sirino and Matias Esquivel celebrate against La Masia.
Image source: Mamelodi Sundowns
