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Cape Town - Cape Town City coach Benni McCarthy says he found a temporary Sergio Ramos-like centre-back in Edmilson Dove in Saturday's 3-0 win over AmaZulu.
Going into the Absa Premiership clash at Cape Town Stadium, City were without a number of centre-backs including Kwanda Mngonyama with suspension, as well as the injured Keanu Cupido and Kouassi Kouadja.
As such, McCarthy fielded regular left-back Dove in the heart of defence and he played well as the Citizens kept their seventh clean sheet of the 2018/19 season.
Speaking after picking up the three points against Usuthu, he likened the player's display to Real Madrid superstar Ramos: "It was a stroke of luck, really. Kwanda (Mngonyama) was suspended after picking up four yellow cards, but luckily, we had (Taariq) Fielies who came back into the side.
"We had the young boy Keanu Cupido who was destined to play, but he then picked up a knock and was complaining and moaning. I then had to make a decision: I know we have two good left-backs, and Edmilson is very quick and great in the air, he's one of the best headers I've seen in the game.
"I saw him play in a back three for Mozambique, so I asked him if he could do the job for us. And I think I've found my Sergio Ramos in my team! And I'll claim it, I'll claim that it was tactical genius that I shifted him there! But no, it was just fluke."
The outfit from the Mother City are next in action when they face Black Leopards at home on 11 November in the league.
