It wasn’t easy, but Sunderland managed to get all three points with a 2-1 win over Cardiff City on Saturday afternoon, and one man stood out above his peers.
Sunderland looked on course to register an easy win when Eliezer Mayenda slotted home after just two minutes at the Stadium of Light.
However, Cardiff pegged the Black Cats back before the interval and put up a great fight to make it a nervous outing for Regis Le Bris’ side.
Thankfully, Chris Mepham popped up with the winning goal with just under 15 minutes to go, and the win was secured.
Lots of Sunderland players performed well, but there is one clear favourite among the fanbase after this afternoon’s victory.
Eliezer Mayenda is a ‘raw’ talent, but his impact has been remarkable
He scored the first goal of the game, was a nuisance throughout, and has now built on that incredible display against Sheffield Wednesday last weekend. Yes, we are of course talking about Mayenda, who was the star of the show once more today.
Sunderland reporter Michael Graham led the charge on Twitter/X as one of the many fans to praise the young Spaniard, tweeting: “What a player Mayenda has become. And still just 19. £800k [shocked face emoji].”
One fan agreed, replying, “I think he’s been the best find by the recruitment,” while another said, “Loads of time for improvement, nowhere near the finished article yet, still loads to come from the lad. Unreal business again.”
Another Sunderland reporter, Ethan Todd, had plenty to say about Mayenda’s showing today, writing: “Eliezer Mayenda is still raw but some of his centre-forward play today was absolutely phenomenal – his natural athleticism makes him such a massive asset.”
Throughout the game, other supporters lavished Mayenda with hype, saying he is “on fire,” describing him as a “baller”, and begging Le Bris to “never drop him again.”
Fans also got their wish later on in the game, when Mayenda was partnered up top with Wilson Isidor, the man he has replaced in the starting lineup.
One supporter said, “Him and Wilson up top together would be unstoppable in this league,” and another added, “Just imagine him and Isidor starting together. Premier League winners.”
Should Le Bris play Eliezer Mayenda, Wilson Isidor, or both?
Just this week, Le Bris discussed his selection headache with Mayenda and Isidor. At the time, the Sunderland manager suggested he can only play one of the players at a time, largely due to the fact he needs to keep one or the other fresh for the next game.
Today, Le Bris kept faith in Mayenda, and it paid off. But, we also got a look at the two of them together once more, and it is tantalising to think about what they can achieve as a strike partnership.
| Statistics | Eliezer Mayenda | Wilson Isidor |
| Games | 29 | 33 |
| Minutes | 1,741 | 2,485 |
| Goals | 7 | 12 |
| Assists | 5 | 2 |
With Mayenda’s pace and drive, and Isidor’s more composed, intelligent forward play, they are a nightmare for defenders. And between them, there are so many goals to come, surely.
If the Sunderland squad were bigger and less affected by injuries, we would no doubt see the 4-4-2 formation with the pair of them playing alongside each other. Unfortunately, for now, we’ll have to make do with just one at a time.