IQRAAM Rayners put his former team to the sword on Wednesday night as he scored the solitary goal in Mamelodi Sundowns’ 1-0 Premiership victory over Stellenbosch FC at the Cape Town Stadium.
Yet while the striker continued with his impressive scoring vein – which now sees him having scored in all of the Brazilians’ six matches in the domestic championship, as well as the CAF Champions League – it was a save pulled off by Denis Onyango late in the match that would have set tongues wagging.
In goal because of the absence of regular incumbent Ronwen Williams – who was still out in Morocco, where he’d been crowned the continent’s best goalkeeper – Onyango showed he’s still got it.
A former African goalkeeper of the year himself, the Ugandan legend was rarely tested until late in the match, when Stellies pushed for the equaliser and fashioned a glorious opportunity to steal the point.
Sanele Barns delivered the ball into the box and Devin Titus’ attempt at a header saw the ball bouncing off his shoulder, but going goalwards.
Somewhat wrong-footed, Onyango incredibly still managed to fling his 39-year-old big frame to his left to push the ball away from the net.
It was a three-points-securing save alright, the kind that should leave the Sundowns faithful content that they have proper cover for the incomparable Williams, who has been an ever present for a few seasons now.
Onyango’s save notwithstanding, Sundowns were worthy of the victory that they should have achieved by a much wider margin.
Rayners is on song, and he scored on 18 minutes – going around Sage Stephens to blast the ball into the roof of the net.
He made his intentions clear early on, Rayners forcing a great save out of Stephens on 14 minutes, before inexplicably missing a glorious chance to make it 2-0 on 27.
Rayners smashed the ball rugby-style over Stephens’ goals after being sent through via a long ball.
The first half could well have produced six goals instead of Rayners’ solitary strike, as both sides created good chances to find the opposition net.
The score should have been 5-2 in Sundowns’ favour as the champions dominated play and managed to carve their hosts open at the back.
But the usually reliable Lucas Ribeiro Costa appeared to have left his scoring boots at home as he fluffed opportunities you’d normally bet your house on him converting.
With Rayners having already scored and missing that glorious chance for a second, the Brazilian got his opportunity on 38 minutes following a fantastic through-ball from Divine Lungu.
Ribeiro Costa needed two deft touches to get away from his marker, but then attempted what seemed like a panenka as he chipped the ball goalwards, but missed the target.
He had another chance on the stroke of halftime as he beat the on-rushing Stephens, but then his shot towards the open goals incomprehensively went wide.
Though Sundowns were dominant in the initial 45 minutes, Stellies threatened whenever they made their way into the opposition half, and coach Steve Barker would no doubt have made his players aware that they had it in them to find the opposition net.
Andre de Jong should have done better than scuff the ball wide from inside the box on 17 minutes, and ditto for Thabo Moloisane, whose header from a Fawaaz Basadien free kick bounced before going straight into Onyango’s gloves.
And then Onyango used that very glove later on to pull off that fantastic save that ensured new coach Miguel Cardoso began his domestic reign with a victory.
That triumph now sees Sundowns enjoying a three-point lead over Orlando Pirates – although they have played one match more. | Independent Media Sport