Iqraam Rayners has broken new ground for African soccer. The Mamelodi Sundowns striker became the first African player to win the Superior Man of the Match award at the FIFA Club World Cup on Tuesday night.
His winning goal against Ulsan HD earned Sundowns (9.60) their first-ever victory in the tournament and banked the club R36 million in prize money. It’s a moment that will be remembered as a breakthrough for the continent’s soccer.
The Goal That Made History
Rayners scored the only goal of the match in the 36th minute against South Korea’s Ulsan HD in Orlando, Florida. The strike gave Sundowns a 1-0 victory and made them the first African club to win a match in the tournament’s new 32-team format.
The goal was worth R36 million – that’s what FIFA pays clubs for each group stage victory. Not bad for 90 minutes’ work.
“For me, it was about my team first,” said Rayners after collecting his award. “The important thing was to get a win, and that is what matters to us.”
A Striker in Red-Hot Form
The numbers don’t lie when it comes to Rayners’ impact at Sundowns. Since joining from Stellenbosch FC 10 months ago, he’s been unstoppable.
In 44 appearances, he’s scored 23 goals and provided nine assists. That’s 3,071 minutes of football with a goal or assist every 96 minutes.
Those stats have seen his market value rocket towards double what Sundowns paid for him. He has also found the net in the finals of both the CAF Champions League and Carling Knockout this season.
Drama Before the Breakthrough
Tuesday’s match wasn’t straightforward for Rayners. He had two other goals ruled out by VAR – one for handball, another for offside.
But the 29-year-old kept his cool. When Lucas Ribeiro set him up, he made no mistake with his finish.
Coach Miguel Cardoso was full of praise afterwards. “Iqraam is a player who has a wonderful definition. He understands how to and when to use spaces on the pitch,” said the Portuguese boss.
Empty Stands, Full History
Only 3,412 fans turned up to watch the match after a weather warning delayed kick-off by over an hour.
Those hardy souls who braved the conditions saw something special. Sundowns, nicknamed “The Brazilians” for their bright yellow shirts, controlled the first half but had to work hard in the second as Ulsan pushed for an equaliser.
What Comes Next
The victory puts Sundowns top of Group F. Borussia Dortmund and Fluminense drew 0-0 earlier in the day, giving the South Africans the perfect start.
Next up is Dortmund on Friday at 18:00 SA time. Another positive result could secure their place in the knockout stages.
For Rayners, this is the biggest moment of his career so far. The striker will wake up on Wednesday morning in Florida knowing he’s broken new ground for African football.
“We had a lot of opportunities to kill the game, so I’m happy for the victory,” he said.
Not a bad way to make history.
