DOWNS ARE UP

MAMELODI Sundowns became the first African team to win a match in the history of the Club World Cup when they beat South Korean side Ulsan HD yesterday morning. 

The South African side went top of Group F in front of a crowd given as 3 412 after Borussia Dortmund and Fluminense drew 0-0 earlier.

A weather warning pushed back kick-off by just over an hour for one of the less enticing group clashes in the expanded Fifa tournament.

However, those who were in attendance were party to an engaging battle.

Portuguese coach Miguel Cardoso’s Downs claimed victory through Iqraam Rayners’ first-half goal.

Of the three points, Cardoso said: “I think the first half was very beautiful, a lot of control... we didn’t get the second goal and the pressure comes.

“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.”

Ulsan should have taken the lead when their Brazilian striker Erick Farias fired a fine chance just over the angle of post and bar.

Downs thought they had taken the lead after the half-hour mark when Rayners bundled home from a corner, but the ball went in off his arm and it was disallowed.

However the South Africa international was not to be denied and he stroked his team in front after Lucas Ribeiro set him up in the 36th minute.

Rayners had another goal disallowed for offside before the break as he picked away at the Ulsan defence.

But it remained 1-0. 

It was also their first victory in any version of the Club World Cup, after they lost both their matches in their only prior appearance, in 2016.

In Group E action, meanwhile, Sergio Ramos put Mexico’s Monterrey 1-0 up in the 25th minute, before Inter Milan secured a 1-1 draw thanks to Lautaro Martinez’s 42nd goal. 

It is, however, Argentina’s River Plate who now top that log after they beat Japan’s Urawa Reds 3-1.