Magnificent seven: Sundowns stroll past hapless islanders La Passe

For Mamelodi Sundowns a 7-0 rout in the first leg of their Caf Champions League second round tie against La Passe at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday at times resembled a beach outing at one of the Indian Ocean islanders’ famous Seychelles resorts more than a football match.

Grant Kekana opened the scoring in the first minute and from there it was a steady procession of goals as Gaston Sirino (13th), Hiroy Jupiter (19th, own goal), Maphosa Modiba (40th) and Sirino’s second in the 44th made it 5-0 by the break. In the second half substitute Sipho Mbule (59th) and Sphelele Mkhulise (87th) added two more.

The game was officially the “away” leg, as Seychelles did not have a suitable venue. The second leg is at Loftus again on Friday night.

Sundowns, aware they would not be overly stretched by the part-timers, allowed themselves some rotation but even then Dennis Onyango, Mothobi Mvala, Sirino, Mkhulise and Kekana were a classy group of starters.

The game was over as a contest within the opening 20 minutes. La Passe’s schoolboy defence was no match for the dynamic Downs outfit’s slick movement in attack’.

The manner in which the Brazilians opened the scoring inside the opening minute sent a message that this would not be a serious game for the SA club. Marcelo Allende’s corner form the left was taken short to Modiba, whose cross found Kekana unmarked to easily nod past goalkeeper Dave Mussard.

The burly keeper is a chef by trade in a team of semi-professionals. It only got hotter in the kitchen for the hapless Mussard and his teammates.

For Downs’ second Choisy Adrian slipped on the ball outside the box on La Passe’s left side to allow right-back Khuliso Mudau to enter the area and feed Allende, who did not control, Sirino sweeping in the loose ball.

The third goal came in a similar manner to the first. From Allende’s free-kick from the left Mussard came and missed and the ball found its way in off defender Jupiter.

With five minutes to the break another Allende corner was taken short to Sirino, who easily picked out Modiba to stroll into the box and powerfully strike past Mussard.

There was time for one more goal before the break. Mvala chipped ahead for Mudau to chest down on the edge of the area into the path of Sirino, who swept in his second and Downs’ fifth.

The Brazilians took their foot off the gas in the second half, but still added two more goals.

Substitute Cassius Mailula athletically controlled a chip in the box, Allende nodded to Sirino and the Uruguayan sidefooted in the direction of another replacement, Mbule, who finished low past Mussard.

With three minutes left of normal time Mailula showed skill and persistence to keep the ball in a run on the left of the area then squared for Mkhulise to bury and easy seventh for Downs.