Mamelodi Sundowns thrashed Royal AM 5-1 with Peter Shalulile bagging a brace in their DStv Premiership clash at Loftus Versveld on Tuesday evening.
Sundowns, fresh from their 5-2 win over Al Ahly on Saturday at the same venue started the game full of confidence with a near full-strength side.
But the presence of 16-year-old Siyabonga Mabena was notable on the bench, the 2022 COSAFA U17 Cup Player of the Tournament, who netted nine goals before making his move to Sundowns from School of Excellence.
And there was no Champions League hangover which Sundowns were susceptible to in years gone by with Cassius Mailula starting proceedings with a neat finish for his ninth of the season, going joint top for the Golden Boot with Shalulile and Bradley Grobler at the time of finding the net.
But the three-time Lesley Manyethela Golden Boot winner had other ideas when he scored a brace on either side of halftime before Ricardo Nascimento and Zakhele’s Ngcobo’s mix-up for an own-goal made it 2-0 before the half-hour mark.
The Namibia international has been in sublime form since returning from his sports hernia injury, netting a staggering 13 goals in 12 games across all competitions.
Lantshene Phalane netted a stunning strike to make it 4-1 that brought a rare smile on the faces of those who traveled in support of the KwaZulu Natal outfit but it was a mere consolation and Mothobi Mvala got in on the action seven minutes later.
A towering header for the South Africa international made it 5-1 which prompted head coach Rulani Mokwena to throw on the Mabena for Themba Zwane in the final 15 minutes of the game.
It proved to be the last notable moment of the night in Tshwane as Masandawana comfortably made it 10 goals in their last two games as they now head to Sudan to face Al Hilal in Africa’s elite club competition.
