Spanish starlet is seizing his big chance

SUNDERLAND'S failure to sign an established striker this summer left fans apoplectic, but Eliezer Mayenda is doing his best to quell the dissent.

- Chris Dunlavy

SUNDERLAND’S failure to sign an established striker this summer left fans apoplectic, but Eliezer Mayenda is doing his best to quell the dissent.

Roundly dismissed as another out-of-his-depth teenage capture following a difficult period of adaptation in the wake of a £1m transfer from Sochaux last season, the 19-year-old suddenly looks like a proper Championship forward.

Mayenda scored twice against Sheffield Wednesday in Sunderland’s first game at the Stadium of Light, bagged a brace of assists in a 3-1 win over Portsmouth at Fratton Park and has led the line with pace and aggression throughout the opening month of the season.

“He truly sets a good example for the entire squad,” said Sunderland’s French head coach Regis Le Bris, who had unexpectedly guided the Black Cats to the summit of the Championship standings ahead of the recent international break.

“Last season, he wasn’t in the starting lineup, but his desire to enhance his game is commendable. He possesses a wealth of talent, but being young means he is constantly striving to fine-tune his skills. He works incredibly hard.”

Mayenda hails from the Spanish city of Zaragoza but joined Sochaux’s academy at 14 and received his football education exclusively in France.