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Cape Town - Mamelodi Sundowns were at their attacking best when they eased into the second round of the Telkom Cup after humbling AmaZulu at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday.
The clash began with Sundowns predictably holding up the ball and enjoying most of the attacking opportunities on a sweltering afternoon.
The first chance was created by Venezualean striker Jose Ali Meza in the 16th minute, who teed up Thapelo Morena inside the box. But the Bafana player went down after he clipped a trailing leg and Sundowns appealed enthusiastically for a penalty that was never awarded, though replays suggested it should have.
There was a nervy moment for the Sundowns defence when Ovidy Karuru controlled the ball well deep in the box but just couldn't find a runner to lay off to.
After several attacks, Meza finally found himself in space space in the box but his effort sailed harmlessly across the face of goal.
But reward finally came for Sundowns in the dying embers of the opening half. Themba Zwane was the recipient of a superb through-ball from Morena and then unselfishly played Meza into space, who side-footed the ball home for his first goal on South African soil.
Disaster then struck early for AmaZula in the second stanza. A long ball came in from Andile Jali that looked easily covered by the Usuthu defence. But poor communication between goalkeeper Neil Boshoff and defender Tapelo Nyongo saw his attempted header sail over the keepers head and into the back of the net on the bounce.
In the 69th minute, Morena went down in the box after a challenge from Mbongeni Gumede and this time referee Thando Ndzandzeka pointed to the penalty spot. Gaston Sirino stepped up for duty and while Boshoff went the right way, Sirinio's strike was too powerful to keep out, making the scoreline 3-0.
Just minutes later, another defensive error saw a defender dispossessed in the box and the ball rolled out to Zwane, who passed to Sirino who fired the ball home with an accurate shot. And AmaZulu's woes didn't end there, as Uruguayan forward Mauricio Affonso - who was on his debut - found a cross from Morena to bring up the fifth and final goal of the afternoon.
