Mamelodi Sundowns secured their maiden FIFA Club World Cup victory with a hard-fought 1-0 triumph over Ulsan HD, becoming the first African team to claim victory in the tournament's expanded format

A Moment Nine Years in the Making

The humid Orlando evening of June 17, 2025, will forever be etched in South African football folklore. After an hour-long weather delay that saw lightning illuminate the Inter&Co Stadium, Mamelodi Sundowns finally stepped onto the pitch to face their destiny. What followed was 90 minutes of tension, drama, and ultimately, pure jubilation as the Brazilians claimed their first-ever FIFA Club World Cup victory.

This wasn't just any victory – it marked a historic breakthrough for African football on the global stage. While Egyptian giants Al Ahly had managed a goalless draw against Inter Miami earlier in the tournament, and the Tunisian powerhouse Esperance fell 2-0 to Flamengo, Sundowns became the continent's first representatives to taste victory in the tournament's new 32-team format.

The Portuguese Mastermind's Perfect Start

Miguel Cardoso, the 52-year-old Portuguese tactician who took the reins at Sundowns just six months ago, couldn't have scripted a better introduction to the world stage. The former Esperance coach, who ironically eliminated Sundowns from the CAF Champions League semifinals while managing the Tunisian giants, watched his tactical masterpiece unfold with quiet satisfaction.

"I think the first half was very beautiful, a lot of control... we didn't get the second goal and the pressure comes," Cardoso reflected post-match. "But I think my players made a wonderful job, we are very proud, (it was) the first victory of an African team in the tournament."

Cardoso's extensive European experience – having managed clubs across Portugal, France, Spain, and Greece – was evident in Sundowns' composed performance. His decision to hand veteran midfielder Themba Zwane his first start since September proved inspired, as the team maintained their characteristic possession-based style while showing the mental fortitude required for such occasions.

Rayners: The Hero with the Golden Touch

If this match had a protagonist, it was undoubtedly Iqraam Rayners. The 29-year-old Cape Town-born striker has been nothing short of sensational since joining Sundowns from Stellenbosch FC ten months ago, and his Club World Cup debut epitomized his remarkable journey.

Rayners' evening was a rollercoaster of emotions that perfectly captured the drama of knockout football. In the 29th minute, he thought he had given Sundowns the lead with a clever near-post finish from a corner, only to watch in dismay as VAR ruled it out for handball. Seven minutes later, however, redemption arrived in the most beautiful fashion.

Lucas Ribeiro, the Brazilian playmaker who has become instrumental to Sundowns' attacking play, threaded a perfectly weighted through ball between the Ulsan defense. Rayners, showing the predatory instincts that have made him Sundowns' most prolific forward, raced onto the pass and dispatched it into the bottom-left corner with the outside of his right foot – a finish that would have graced any stadium in the world.

"For me, it was about my team first, the technical team and the people that were behind us," Rayners said after being named Player of the Match. "For us as a team, the important thing was to get a win and that is what matters to us and I'm happy we did win the game."

The statistics tell the story of Rayners' incredible impact at Sundowns: 23 goals and 9 assists in 44 appearances, providing a goal or assist every 96 minutes. His latest strike came with the added weight of earning the club almost R36 million – FIFA's reward for a group stage victory.

Ulsan's Familiar Disappointment

For Ulsan HD, this defeat represented another chapter in their frustrating Club World Cup story. The Korean champions, who have claimed three consecutive K League titles and lifted the AFC Champions League twice (2012, 2020), arrived in Orlando with experience but departed with familiar disappointment.

This marked Ulsan's third Club World Cup appearance, and remarkably, they remain without a single victory in the competition. Their previous campaigns in 2012 and 2021 both ended in quarter-final exits to Mexican opposition – first Monterrey, then Tigres UANL. Now, rooted to the bottom of Group F with zero points, their path to the knockout stages appears increasingly treacherous.

The Tigers showed flashes of their quality, particularly through Seong-Beom Ko's looping effort that was heroically cleared off the line by Divine Lunga just before halftime. However, their struggles against foreign opposition continued – this defeat extended their winless run to eight losses in their last nine matches against international teams.

A Night of Firsts and Records

The significance of this victory extends far beyond three points in the group table. Sundowns' triumph represents several historic milestones:

• First African victory in the expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup format
• Sundowns' maiden Club World Cup win after a disappointing 2016 campaign where they lost both matches
• Historic moment for South African football on the global stage
• Miguel Cardoso's first major victory as Sundowns coach

The match was played in front of just 3,412 spectators at the Inter&Co Stadium, a modest crowd that belied the magnitude of the occasion. The small but passionate contingent of Sundowns supporters, clad in their distinctive yellow, spent much of the match on their feet, dancing and singing as they witnessed history unfold.

Group F Takes Shape

With this victory, Sundowns claimed top spot in Group F, capitalizing on the earlier 0-0 draw between Borussia Dortmund and Fluminense. 

The group standings now read:

1. Mamelodi Sundowns - 3 points
2. Fluminense - 1 point
3. Borussia Dortmund - 1 point
4. Ulsan HD - 0 points

Sundowns' next challenge will be a stern test of their ambitions when they face German giants Borussia Dortmund in Cincinnati on Saturday, June 21. A positive result against the Bundesliga powerhouse would virtually guarantee their passage to the knockout stages.

The Road Ahead

This victory represents more than just a result – it's a statement of intent from African football. Sundowns have shown that with proper preparation, tactical discipline, and individual brilliance, African teams can compete with the world's best.

For Miguel Cardoso, this triumph validates his appointment and provides the perfect foundation for what he hopes will be a memorable tournament run. For Iqraam Rayners, it's another golden moment in what has been a remarkable career transformation. And for South African football, it's a night that will be remembered as the moment when the rainbow nation announced its arrival on the world stage.

As the Sundowns players celebrated on the Orlando turf, soaking in the applause of their traveling supporters, they carried with them the hopes and dreams of an entire continent. Their journey in this tournament has only just begun, but they've already made history. Now, the question isn't whether they belong at this level – it's how far they can go.