Mamelodi Sundowns made light work of third-tier side Mathaithai, thumping them 6-0 to book their place in the last eight of the Nedbank Cup at Lucas Moripe Stadium last night.

A second half double by Thabiso Kutumela combined with early goals from Surprise Ralani and Themba Zwane had made the scoreline somewhat respectable before Lebogang Maboe’s looped effort in the 84th minute and Andile Jali’s late screamer made it embarrassing for the lower division side. 

Maboe, coming off the bench for Grant Kekana in the 69th minute, featured for the first time since his nasty knee injury he suffered in September last year. With what’s arguably their biggest game of the season versus Al Ahly in the CAF Champions League coming up on Saturday, Sundowns withdrew Zwane and Rushine de Reuck very early in the second stanza.

Despite hints by coach Rulani Mokwena that he’d be one of the bit-part players to be given a chance, midfielder George Maluleka was a surprise exclusion from the match day squad. Third-choice goalkeeper Reyaad Pieterse, left-back Divine Lunga and midfielder Mothobi Mvala were some of a few fringe players who started the match.

Sundowns deployed an unfamiliar formation of playing without a recognised right-back. However, this system hardly complicated things for them both in attack and in defence.

Former SA youth international Pule Maraisane made Sundowns’ game-day squad for the first time since joining the club as a free-agent in October 2021, though he was an unused sub.

Scoring two early goals raised expectations that Sundowns were going to score more before the half-time hiatus. However, the likes of Ralani, Zwane, Neo Maema and Kutumela made sure the scoreline remains 2-0 at the break as they missed a number of easy chances. 

Mathaithai, who campaign in the ABC Motsepe League in Free State,  may have had three shot on target in the first stanza but they never really threatened the hosts the whole game, struggling to string together a few passes whenever they got the ball.