Redemption eight years in waiting

Mamelodi Sundowns beat Ulsan HD in the Club World Cup and become the first African team to win at the tournament

In 2016 on a cold rainy night in Tokyo, Mamelodi Sundowns took their first steps into world football.

Pitso Mosimane’s side were coming off the back of a first ever CAF Champions League victory having beaten Egyptian giants Zamalek 3-1 on aggregate. They were rewarded with a second round match against Japanese champions Kashima Antlers.

Sundowns dominated possession, created plenty of chances but a mistake from keeper Dennis Onyango gifted the Antlers a goal and they doubled their lead shortly after.

After the game, then head coach Mosimane, said "we played against a good team, they had their chances and took them, we didn't take ours."

Those words would come to define Sundowns over the best part of a decade.

Since 2016 they have become a title winning machine in South Africa. Bar one season that Bidwest Wits won, Sundowns have won every single title since. And yet this team has been defined by failing to shine on the biggest stages of all.

Season after season they have improved, signed better players and better coaches but that international dominance has eluded them.

Just a few days after the Antlers game, they played Korean side Jeonbuk Motors in the match for fifth place and they were smashed 4-1. A trip to the World Cup that promised so much ended in humiliation.

Eight years on and Sundowns were returning to the world stage, this time not as African champions but as Champions League finalists.

Questions at home revolved around Masandawana’s ability to self implode when they are on the verge of victory. Would they come to the Club World Cup and be destroyed by another South Korean side?

The answer was a confident no.

Sundowns gave us a cool, collected and comprehensive performance against Korean opposition. From minute one when Arthur Sales had a great shot blocked, Sundowns were the tempo setters.

In the first half, Sundowns averaged 75%, more than Bayern Munich managed in their 10- win against part-timers Auckland City. Iqraam Rayners could have had a hattrick. His first was ruled out for handball and third by the narrowest of offsides.

But his second was a beauty.

Despite dominating possession, Sundowns were lacking bite and Ulsan were actually getting more joy on the counter attack. But the first time Sundowns were able to speed the ball up, they found joy. A 13 pass move ended with Arthur Sales finding Teboho Mokoena who slipped through Rayners. The former SuperSport man confidently slipped his shot past the onrushing Hyeon-Woo Jo.

In the second half, Ulsan came out more and while they pressed higher, Sundowns found more joy on the break. And in the final ten minutes of the game The Brazilians showed a maturity and calmness of a team comfortable on this stage.

They weren’t perfect, Ulsan had a few excellent chances. Ashley Cupido and Divine Lunga both made incredible goal line blocks. Fluminense and Borussia Dortmund will offer entirely different challenges to Ulsan and questions will remain as to whether Sundowns can cope with the pace of the Europeans and the South Americans.

But for now, Sundowns have banished an eight-year-old Korean curse.