Mamelodi Makes History with Thrilling Victory Against Ulsan in Orlando

Mamelodi Sundowns clinched their inaugural victory at the FIFA Club World Cup (CWC) with a narrow 1-0 triumph over Ulsan Hyundai in Orlando, marking the Tigers’ eighth loss in their last nine encounters with international teams.

Ulsan, approaching the match with the advantage of previous CWC experience from 2012 and 2020, aimed to leverage that knowledge.

However, the Sundowns were quick to assert their dominance, anticipating a breakthrough when Iqraam Rayners directed a corner kick into the net after 29 minutes.

Unfortunately for Sundowns, the goal was disallowed following a VAR check, which determined that Rayners had touched the ball with his hand before scoring.

Just seven minutes later, Rayners made amends by racing onto a perfectly timed through ball from Lucas Ribeiro, skillfully tucking the ball into the bottom-left corner with a deft finish using the outside of his right foot.

Ulsan nearly equalised just before half-time, but Divine Lunga saved the day by heading Seong-Beom Ko’s looping shot off the line to keep Sundowns in the lead.

The second half began with little in the way of goalmouth action until Ribeiro sparked excitement eight minutes after the break, attempting a curling shot towards the far top-left corner, only for an Ulsan defender to execute a brilliant block.

As the match wore on, the prospect of an equaliser dwindled for the Tigers, with the Sundowns exhibiting complete control as they neared the final ten minutes of play.

The Sundowns held firm against some late pressure from the Korean champions, ultimately securing a crucial victory that propels Miguel Cardoso’s side to the top of Group F, especially following the earlier 0-0 stalemate between Dortmund and Fluminense.

Conversely, Ulsan now faces a daunting challenge if they wish to progress from the group stages, as they find themselves languishing in fourth place.

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