Orlando, Fla. — In a gripping encounter at the Inter&Co stadium on Tuesday night, Mamelodi Sundowns emerged triumphant, defeating Ulsan HD 1-0 in their opening match of the Club World Cup group stage. The victory came after a frustrating hour-long weather delay, yet the South African side didn’t let that dampen their spirits.
With fewer than 1,000 fans in attendance at the stadium, which holds 25,500, Mamelodi Sundowns displayed offensive aggression right from the start. However, it was Ulsan HD who threatened first. Erick Farias nearly put the South Korean club ahead with a one-time shot on a counterattack that sailed just over the crossbar in the opening moments of the match.
Despite this close call, it was clear that the relentless possession control from the Sundowns was beginning to take its toll on Ulsan. Their continuous pressure culminated in the 36th minute when Iqraam Rayners fired home from point-blank range, slotting the ball into the bottom-right corner to give Sundowns a crucial lead.
As the match progressed, Ulsan HD sought an equaliser with increasing urgency. Their best chance came in the 80th minute when winger Matías Lacava unleashed a powerful shot directly in front of the Mamelodi goal. However, Sundowns’ goalkeeper Ronwen Williams was quick to deny Ulsan, preserving his team’s slender advantage.
With the ultimate win, Mamelodi Sundowns find themselves at the top of the Group F standings with three points, while Ulsan HD languishes at the bottom with none. The two teams will look to bounce back on June 21, with Mamelodi facing Borussia Dortmund and Ulsan taking on Fluminense.
Mamelodi Sundowns’ manager, Miguel Cardoso, reflected on the game by stating, “It’s not easy to achieve victories. Today, I think we released a lot of energy in the right way.” Meanwhile, Ulsan HD manager Kim Pan-gon, despite not securing any points, praised his players’ efforts under challenging conditions, saying, “Even though we didn’t accomplish all the objectives, I believe we had a satisfactory result.”