Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has reacted to his side’s opening win at the FIFA Club World Cup in the USA, saying he is pleased that everything came together.
Iqraam Rayners scored the sole goal of the match against South Korean side Ulsan HD on Wednesday morning to see the former African champions at the top of Group F with three points.
Rayners could have had a hat-trick from the first game but had two other goals ruled out. Meanwhile the win was also a first for an African side at the tournament that boosts four CAF teams including Sundowns.
Cardoso said it might look easy on the eye but it’s tough to grind for results and is happy that his players stuck to the game plan.
“We are also very happy to fulfil our dream and make it an objective by winning a match on the Club World Cup in this new format of the tournament,” said Cardoso.
“It’s not easy. It looks like but it’s not easy to achieve victories. It was a long way until this moment. I think today we released a lot of energy in the right way, before, during and after, but we live the right emotions.
“The team found the right place where to start the match. We prepared it tactically and strategically very well and then we found the commitment between everybody. That was important to really play it according to the level of preparation we had.
“So I think firstly, we made a very wonderful first half. It was important that we could keep the pace and the notes go away from the game plan, so that we could score the second goal. That for little details or little centimeters, we could not do.
“Obviously as time goes by, having a margin of 1-0 in the score and normally that’s obviously an intention to give the results. So in last 15 minutes, we didn’t play them as much as we would like, but anyway we created the chances.
“And obviously we are very, very happy for the first African victory of the tournament and mostly I’m very happy for the joy that the players and the release of energy and pleasure these players give to the country, their families and the club.”
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