Durban City left-back Terrence Mashego has admitted that sitting on the bench at Mamelodi Sundowns was mentally challenging — a key reason why he sought a loan move away from the club.

Mashego had no future at Sundowns this season, a reality underscored by his inclusion in the Bafana Bafana squad for the African Nations Championship in East Africa.

Last season, the left-back made only 11 appearances in all competitions as Sundowns clinched their eighth consecutive league title.

The arrival of Fawaaz Basadien from Stellenbosch during the off-season further reduced Mashego’s chances of regular game time.

Competition for the left-back position at Sundowns was already fierce, with Divine Lunga, Asekho Tiwani, and Aubrey Modiba all competing for minutes.

While Lunga, Basadien, and Modiba have all featured this season, Tiwani — still a youngster — continues to wait in the wings.

Mashego therefore decided to move to Durban City in search of happiness and consistent football, having grown increasingly frustrated with his situation at the African giants.

“To be honest, I’m enjoying my time here,” said Mashego.

“I’m enjoying the coast. I think my life belongs on the coast [having played for Cape Town City before].

“Mentally, it’s challenging as a player not to play because it’s something you always want to do. But I stayed positive. After speaking to coach [Gavin Hunt] before I came here, I told myself, ‘If there’s one thing I need, it’s game time. I need to play.’”

The 29-year-old joined Sundowns from City ahead of the 2022/23 season.

His current contract expires at the end of this campaign, and unless his situation changes dramatically, it is unlikely he will be retained.

“I’ve suffered a lot with injuries at Sundowns,” continued Mashego.

“In my first season, I was out for about nine months, and in the following one, I also had injury setbacks. It’s frustrating and difficult as a player. To get back, you need game time — and so far, things are coming together.”

Mashego, who has made six appearances for City so far, is expected to play a key role this season — starting with Friday’s Betway Premiership clash against Kaizer Chiefs at Moses Mabhida Stadium.

It’s a venue that brings back fond memories for Mashego, who won the Nedbank Cup there with TS Galaxy in the 2018/19 season — famously beating Chiefs through Zakhele Lepasa’s penalty.

Galaxy made history that night as the first NFD team to win South Africa’s version of the FA Cup while still playing in the second tier.