Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi has reason to be excited over a player who is slowly finding his rhythm after a slow start to the campaign.
In only his second start of the season this past weekend against Kaizer Chiefs in the Carling Knockout, central midfielder Bathusi Aubass displayed signs of someone who could be crucial to Sundowns' challenge for honours in both domestic and continental titles.
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Playing alongide Teboho Mokoena and Marcelo Allende in the middle of the park, Aubass was immense, making sure that the back four is protected, while he also helped start the build ups whenever he collected passes from central defenders Grant Kekana and Mothobi Mvala.
Late on in the game, when Khuliso Mudau was taken off for Neo Maema, Aubass played as a right back, showing how versatile he is as a player.
"We brought him to Sundowns because he has very rare physical attributes. For a player of his height to have the kind of intensity he has, the speed that he has, the engine he has...we've always believed we can get a little bit more from him. I am just excited to see him performing the way he does because even in the game we played in Polokwane (against Polokwane City), I talked to him and said 'I do not want you to play in this match because I prefer to see you in the Cape Town City game because it will require a lot of intensity'. Because he is such a very good football player and such a good human being as well, he was open to that and he said 'I know you will use me when the time is right'," Mngqithi said after Sundowns hammered Chiefs 4-0 to progress to the semi-finals.
READ: Manqoba Reveals Chiefs' Weakness: 'We Knew...'
"When he plays the way he plays, I think he complements Tebza (Teboho Mokoena) very well. They form a formidable partnership in central midfield and you still have Marcelo (Allende), Neo (Maema), (Sphelele) Mkhulise and Lebo (Maboe) in that space. So, it makes you feel that you are most likely to have a good midfield at any given stage. He's physical attributes are something to admire. It's very rare."
By Tshepang Mailwane
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