Mamelodi Sundowns moved 12 points clear at the top of the DStv Premiership standings after defeating AmaZulu 3-0 on Tuesday night.
Masandawana coach Rulani Mokwena opted to start Peter Shalulile, Themba Zwane and Thembinkosi Lorch on the bench as Matias Esquivel, Gaston Sirino and Lucas Ribeiro Costa lined up in the attack.
It wasn't one-way traffic as anticipated after the visitors profusely held their lines to keep the Tshwane giants at bay whilst playing out on the counter-attack.
Sirino did come close though to making the lead with a half-volley from a tight angle following a chip pass in space by Bongani Zungu, but the effort failed to test Usuthu goalkeeper Olwethu Mzimela.
The visiting squandered a glaring chance midway through the half when Augustine Kwem nodded over from a corner after rising unmarked in the danger area.
Masandawana turned out for the second half fired up and hit the front after Lucas Ribeiro Costa popped up timeously in the box to finish off a well-placed delivery.
The Brazilian-born wasn't done but completed his brace five minutes later when he showed superb footwork in the box to dispatched with ease.
Usuthu hauled in a double substitution over the midway point of the second stanza in Hendrick Ekstein for Ben Motshwari before seeing Kwem in for Augustine Mulenga.
The revived Divine Lunga could've added a third off a well-drilled volley from the area, but he witnessed the effort flew over target.
Ribeiro Costa stole the show though as he completed his hat-trick when he feed onto Zungu's deep-lying pass and applied a first-time finish into the bottom-corner.
Sundowns wrapped up the win pretty comfortably, with Usuthu unable to launch any response whatsoever in the closing stages.
Confirmed line-ups:
Mamelodi Sundowns: Williams, Mdunyelwa, Lunga, Kekana, Zungu, Mokoena, Maboe, Modiba, Esquivel, Ribeiro, Sirino
Subs: D.Onyango, B.Onyango, Aubaas, Mkhulise, Mbule, Mendieta, Zwane, Lorch, Shalulile
AmaZulu: Mzimela, Jooste, Mphahlele, Fielies, Gumede, Hanamub, Motshwari, Brooks, Mbanjwa, Moremi, Kwem.
Subs: Mothwa, Sikhakhane, Zulu, Mobara, Ngema, Maluleka, Ekstein, Mulenga, Dion
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