The quality of the new Mamelodi Sundowns goalscoring machine Brayan Leon, should most definitely be the standard of any big club with ambitions when looking for a goalscoring centre forward who can also press from the top. The Club’s management saw it fit that the Club’s only best finisher should be sent out on loan since he doesn’t tick all the boxes according to coach Abdeslam Ouaddou’s requirements and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that but when you don’t bring any proven goalscorer who is better than Mabasa in front of goal and just looking for someone who can press, drop and pull wide when you don’t have attacking midfielders that gives you at least 8-10 goals a season each, then you are joking if you’re dreaming higher.

While Yanela Mbuthuma can be allowed to grow, the Club needs to go all out to get two complete forwards at least in the level of Brayan Leon because the South American striker has proven to be worth every cent spent on him. Leon doesn’t drop into midfield a lot as he’s focus is just being in the right place at the right time when his team in possession. Perhaps Mbuthuma can match Leon when it comes to positioning inside the box but it’s the finishing that sets the Colombian apart. We need to give credit where it’s due and learn as much as possible from rivals when they are doing good and in Leon, Sundowns brought in a player who is not only improving their team but also the standard of our league and it’s this type of quality players that big clubs in the country should bring not just gambling and hoping for the best.

I can’t remember the last time I saw the centre forward that’s so intelligent , powerful, instinctive and clinical in box operating with so much speed and technique. Fiston Mayele at his peak comes close and Bryan Leon’s compatriot Radamel Falcao was arguably the best in the position at his peak. Coming into our south African talents, we have been able to produce defenders even more technical ones and very good midfielders but it’s in the front line that we haven’t really been blessed with natural goalscores who can give you 10 goals or more every season apart from Shalulile, Grobler and Mabasa amongst the few and it’s for that reason that Orlando Pirates Football Club should look for a goalscoring machine. Mbuthuma and Makgopa have never been prolific and will never be despite their hard work off the ball.

The red hot South American striker proved his class once again in another game of the highest magnitude at FNB when he scored a beautiful brace and that comes after scoring yet another brilliant brace in the Caf champions league to secure the Brazilians a spot in the quarterfinals. Orlando Pirates had half chances with Deon Hotto earlier on when his deflected strike was put over the bar by Ronwen Williams and another big chance falling for Mbuthuma whose header didn’t trouble the Bafana Bafana goalkeeper much.

Abdeslam Ouaddou’s men never stopped asking Mamelodi Sundowns questions while the Brazilians where not proving to be a real threat offensively but when their chances came, they were ruthless with Brayn Leon receiving a diagonal ball from Santos before chest trapping and putting it across Sipho Chaine who was at the near post. Soon after that, The Brazilians were ahead as Leon and Modiba made an identical move that saw the Colombian scoring his second against Mc Alger at Loftus when he ran to near post in Between Seema and Sibisi to poke the ball home past Sipho Chaine.

Orlando Pirates started the second half like they did in the first and soon Mbuthuma was denied by the upright with Williams beaten and it’s in the same ball that came back into play, that Bucs managed to win it higher up the pitch and Tito’s deflected strike from Teboho Mokoena managed to sneak in past Ronwen Williams to make it 2-1 and at that stage, it looked like the comeback is on but it wasn’t to be as Abdeslam Ouaddou’s impact players didn’t really affect the game as expected. I want to be a bit critical on Abdeslam Ouaddou for putting too much trust on Mbuthuma when Evidence Makgopa proved beyond any reasonable doubt that he’s a man for big occasions but insisted with Mbuthuma whom for me, remains raw let alone in a game of this magnitude but let me leave that for now. Masindi Confidence Nemtatjela was nowhere to be found today I must be honest and perhaps the Absence of Mbatha was felt in that midfield.

Makgopa’s absence limited spaces for Mofokeng and Appollis in the final third because they needed someone who understands who speed and space functions in the final third because the centre forward that drops early, congest the midfield and block the lines while Makgopa knows when to drop or pull wide to create space for runners but today it wasn’t to be since he was not played and hopefully we Will see him in derby next week Saturday to help Bucs collect three points in a must win game. Overall, I think Bryan Leon’s world class quality in front of goal was the main difference on the day. Congratulations to the Brazilians for a well deserved victory and hard luck Buccaneers.