Rayners: All about the small details for Sundowns

IQRAAM Rayners has expressed his delight at having helped Mamelodi Sundowns win their opening match at the Fifa Club World Cup, after scoring in Masandawana’s 1-0 victory over Ulsan HD in Orlando, Florida in the United States on Wednesday.

- MATSHELANE MAMABOLO

Rayners walked away with the Player of the Match award thanks to his 36th-minute strike, a toe-poke from close range after he'd been sent sailing by Lucas Ribeiro’s sublime throughball.

The duo actually combined two more times in the match for Rayners to score, but both goals were ruled out by VAR.

The first was because the ball had made contact with the striker’s arm before it went in, and the other one was due to the Capetonian having been offside when the Brazilian made the pass.

Not that Rayners was gutted by not having had a World Cup hat-trick.

Far from it, for though he'd protested against the initial denial, Rayners was just pleased Sundowns won.

“The important thing was for us to get a win tonight, and that’s what matters.

“I am happy we won the game,” he said during the post-match press conference.