5-star Sundowns crush Maritzburg United to get Rhulani Mokwena-era underway with a bang

Rhulani Mokwena started his tenure as Mamelodi Sundowns' head coach on the best possible note as they crushed Maritzburg United 5-0 at the Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday night.

While the win may not have come against Orlando Pirates, the team that vanquished them to a point where coaching changes were effected, Sundowns were ruthless in their demolition of the Team of Choice.

The scale of this defeat may have an impact on John Maduka's immediate future as the defeat dropped Martizburg down to 14th on the log, with five losses and five draws in 12 matches.

For Sundowns, their eighth win of the season from 11 games moved them three points clear of second-placed Richards Bay FC (22) while they still have a game in hand.

Sundowns also have a goal difference of +16, with 21 goals scored and five conceded. Indeed, the coaching changes may have been made based on 'unconvincing performances', but there was nothing skittish about their unceremonious crushing of Maritzburg.

Maritzburg's defence was far more pliable than that of Pirates, but the difference was that Sundowns chose to be clinical in the final third.

The game started at least 40 minutes late because of a thunderstorm that circled close to the ground, but it didn't show an inkling of the hands that were going to be thrown by the defending champions.

After easing themselves into the game with a much-changed side from the one that was clobbered by Pirates in Polokwane on Saturday, Sundowns really got into the act after the 20th minute.

They took the lead in the 26th minute when Haashim Domingo buried Thapelo Morena's cross, with the latter turning scorer three minutes later when he was provided with a simple tap-in from a Cassius Mailula cross.

Maritzburg