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Sundowns legend calls for Castro to step up

Cape Town - Ex-Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Zane Moosa wants Leonardo Castro to be given the chance to step up and fire in some goals to help reignite the Pretoria club's season.

The defending league champions have failed to win any of their last five matches and were knocked out of the Nedbank Cup on the weekend by Golden Arrows following a 1-0 home defeat.

Players such as Khama Billiat, Percy Tau and to a lesser extent Hlompho Kekana and Anthony Laffor have not been banging in the goals of late, and this has been one of the reasons for the Brazilians' struggles, although injuries and fatigue should also be factored in.

While last season there were regular goal contributors from all over the park, it has not been the case this time around, especially since the turn of the year.

"Billiat came back and is showing traces of his ability," Moosa told goal.com website. "Normally the guys would be scoring and there will be guys chipping in with goals because if you look at it in recent years, they haven't had an out-and-out goal scorer, who's been challenging for the top goal scorer award.

"They have players who can score from different positions. They are just not scoring and they are getting caught, like how they conceded against Chiefs with the own goal."

The former Bafana ball wizard thinks the solution could lie in Castro. The Colombian chipped in with 10 league goals last season, but has not scored in the league this term and has made only four starts and a further nine appearances off the bench.

"I don't think they are playing badly it's just they are lacking that killer instinct in front of goal," Moosa explained.

"Castro hasn't had that much game time. But I think he is a player who if given a chance I think, can deliver because he has shown he can score goals."

Moosa remains confident, however, that his former club can overcome the hiccup in form.

"At one stage they were sitting pretty in the league with games in hands, but they've stuttered in the league in terms of gaining points," he said.

"If they had to win their games they would have been quite far up but now they are going through a bit of a slump with results.

"Wits and Cape town City are ahead of them, but they are not out of it. Sundowns are a team capable of going on a run and winning five games in a row. 

"They've done it before, but obviously, things will have to change. They are struggling to get the ball into the net at the moment," he added.

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