Rayners: We took our opportunity

• Mamelodi Sundowns saw off Ulsan to make a winning start to their FIFA Club World Cup campaign
• Iqraam Rayners’ goal was enough to separate the two sides
• The striker shared his thoughts with FIFA post-match

A storm that had been brewing in Orlando for several hours meant that kick-off had to be pushed back by an hour in the FIFA Club World Cup™ Group F clash between Ulsan HD and Mamelodi Sundowns FC. The referee spoke to both captains and was left with no choice but to send the teams back to their dressing rooms.

The clash eventually got underway at 19:05 local time as the storm threat dissipated. Shortly after, another storm was brewing, but this time it was on the pitch: Iqraam Rayners ran riot and was exceptional in his side’s opening match at the tournament.

After a strong start from the South African side, with 29 minutes on the clock, the striker who wears the number 13 shirt managed to poke the ball home through a melee of bodies from a corner, but his strike was chalked off for handball.

Fear not. Just seven minutes later, Lucas Ribeiro played an intricate through ball to Rayners. The striker controlled it with precision and slotted the ball into the back of the net to put his side a goal to the good. Not content with a one-goal lead, the South African striker had the net bulging again in the 39th minute, only for the assistant referee to cut short his celebrations with an offside flag.

In the second half, the Sundowns kept pushing to add to their tally, but in the end they had to settle for a 1-0 victory. Rayners’ first-half strike proved enough to secure a historic three points for the Pretoria outfit, who are now sitting pretty at the top of Group F ahead of Fluminense FC and Borussia Dortmund. Their next challenge is against the German side on Saturday 21 June at 12:00 at Cincinnati's TQL Stadium.

“I’m over the moon with the victory. Tonight was a huge opportunity for us and we grabbed it with both hands. Obviously, I’m really proud and happy to get myself on the scoresheet, but getting the three points is what pleases me most. We played as a team, and that’s the most important thing,” Rayners told FIFA post-match.

“We kept moving the ball quickly. We knew how we needed to set up and how to play against Ulsan because our coach had thoroughly briefed us before the game. He gave us important tactical information that proved decisive on the pitch.

"However, we mustn’t get ahead of ourselves. We need to keep our heads and remain composed. It goes without saying that we’ll celebrate the victory, but then we’ll turn our focus to our next match against Borussia Dortmund, which will be a much sterner test,” the striker, who also picked up the Michelob Ultra Superior Player of the Match award, said.

Mamelodi head coach Miguel Cardoso was also gushing in his praise of the team's star striker. “He’s got a real talent for finding the back of the net. His positioning is second to none. He knows exactly when and where to find space to inflict damage on our opponents. He’s had a tough season, with many ups and downs, but he’s handled it incredibly well across the domestic league, the CAF Champions League, and now the Club World Cup.

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"As a coach, it’s a real blessing to have quality players like him in your squad. I’ve got a squad full of talented players, and even those who feature less regularly are still hugely important to us. Our attacking options, like Iqraam, are silky, creative players and need to be able to express themselves freely on the pitch."

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