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TimesLIVE
29-07-2025
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Stats should have earned me awards nominations: Sundowns' Rayners
Mamelodi Sundowns striker Iqraam Rayners admits being disappointed after he was overlooked for the nominations for the Premier Soccer League Awards. Rayners had an outstanding campaign in his first season with Sundowns after joining them from Stellenbosch FC, contributing 14 goals and nine assists in 26 matches as he helped the club to win their eighth successive Premiership title. He was not nominated for any of the awards despite having an impressive season and feels he deserves to be among the nominees. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐠! 🎙🔥 We are back with another episode after an incredible season, joined by Iqraam Rayners as he reflects on a standout season, discusses the PSL awards & looks ahead to the upcoming campaign! 🙌 The… — Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) July 28, 2025 The television-only PSL Awards will be broadcast on SuperSport on Tuesday night (7pm). 'Obviously, I'm a bit disappointed because [with] what I did last season I had a good campaign with a good team, good players who were helping me,' Rayners said on Sundowns' Pitchside Podcast. 'The coaches believed in me, so I was disappointed when I saw the players that were nominated. I think my stats from last season were good enough to be in a lot of nominations.' 𝐀 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒/𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 ✨ 📺 Watch #𝐏𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬𝟐𝟓 ceremony tonight live on the SuperSport PSL channel and SABC Sport at 19:00. — Official PSL (@OfficialPSL) July 29, 2025 The Bafana Bafana striker believes Sundowns teammate Lucas Ribeiro was the best player this past season. Rayners feels he should have been second in the pecking order of nominations. 'For me, the best player in the league was Lucas. I think I'm second after Lucas,' he said. 'My stats were the second-best, so obviously I was disappointed.'
IOL News
30-06-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Teko Modise calls on Mamelodi Sundowns to capitalise on Club World Cup success
Teko Modise urged Mamelodi Sundowns to leverage their Club World Cup success and aim for greater international achievements, highlighting the team's mental strength and potential for future growth. Picture: Gavin Barker, BackpagePix At the Club World Cup, Sundowns drew with Brazilian side Fluminense, pushed German Giants Borussia Dortmund all the way in a 4-3 defeat and were 1-0 victors against South Koreans Ulsan. It has to be said though, Sundowns are the dominant team in South Africa as they won their eighth successive league title in a row this past season. The former Bafana Bafana and Sundowns midfielder was heavy in his praise while looking to the future for the club. Following Mamelodi Sundowns ' exploits at the Club World Cup , the Pretoria side needs to build on the performances, believes Teko Modise. Modise Challenges Mamelodi Sundowns to Rise to the International Stage 'I would say the message is to the team, the technical staff, the management and everyone that is involved with Mamelodi Sundowns that now the world, the international stage knows who you are, can you go to the second?,' said Modise on Pitchside Podcast. 'For the players, those who didn't play and didn't participate, can you come back and actually participate and go further? I think that is the challenge I'm putting on the team, and I'm putting on the players.' Modise, who won the CAF Champions League with Sundowns in 2016, lauded the mental strength of the side. 'This is where we belong. We need to come back here, but there is a lot that needs to be done. To the players themselves, to everyone who was involved with this trip. I am very, very proud. 'We played our way, and we never panicked. We never showed any stress, and this is how we have to play. 'I'm very, very proud to be here, and I just hope that this experience is going to go to everyone in the team so that we can come back stronger next season.' @Michael_Sherman IOL Sport
TimesLIVE
24-06-2025
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Sundowns can use lessons from Borussia thriller against Fluminense: Teko and Hlompho
Mamelodi Sundowns have to take confidence from their thrilling 4-3 Club World Cup Group F defeat against Borussia Dortmund, learn from some mistakes and tighten certain areas to try to beat Fluminense, legends Teko Modise and Hlompho Kekana said. Notably, Downs have to take their chances better, they said of the final group match where the Brazilians need to beat Fluminense at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Wednesday (9pm SA time), or draw and hope Dortmund are shocked by not beating Ulsan HD. Downs started with a 1-0 win against South Korean outfit Ulsan in Orlando. Modise and Kekana, speaking on Sundowns' Pitchside Podcast, were impressed with the Pretoria team's display in one of the matches of the tournament in the searing noon Cincinnati heat on Saturday where, even at 4-1 up, Dortmund could never say they felt comfortable. Sundowns were the more unfortunate side, with Ronwen Williams' out-of-character error allowing an equaliser after Lucas Ribeiro's excellent early opener, a deflected own goal by Khuliso Mudau and hitting the post twice. Downs even had the better of possession. 'We knew it was a game of consequence. It was the game we needed to win, if we didn't at least draw to get yourself above [the points margin] going into the last game,' Modise said. 'But also you are playing German giants, you are expecting a highly tactical game. Of course we made mistakes but those types of mistakes are the type that happen in a game and you want them to happen so you can learn from them. 'One thing I'll give to the guys is the character. Coming back into the game, forcing things and also playing the Sundowns way. And to be able to have a 4-3 scoreline against Borussia Dortmund, not many people can say that.' No matter where we are in the world, WE LOVE YOU 💛 #Sundowns #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #AfricaToTheWorld — Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) June 23, 2025 While the midday heat might have played to Sundowns' favour marginally, Kekana was impressed at how the Brazilians maintained their intensity to the end against such quality opponents in a fast-paced clash. 'I give credit to the boys playing in this heat and not showing signs of cracking,' Downs' 2016 Caf Champions League-winning captain said. 'I can't fault the performance. I give them 9.5 [out of 10] in terms of the good things they have done. ''The good things says they managed to do what they normally do. They played the game. 'I was worried this was a big match, they would come here and get overwhelmed by the stage. That was not the case. Mamelodi Sundowns showed the world they deserve to be in this space. 'On the world stage we know where we are in terms of the benchmark and we can only build from there. 'I'm sure the lessons, where I took that 5% or 10% out, is the chances [not taken]. At this level they don't miss a lot. We let them off the hook a lot.' Kekana said Downs know what is needed against Fluminense, where a victory will see them make history in FIFA's first expanded, 32-team Club World Cup. 'In the sense there's something to play for, we need those [three] points. I would wish to see Sundowns in the knockout stages because this is a team that is very ambitious. 'We want to see more players being exposed to more pressure matches on the world stage. This performance against Borussia is where we should build from as Sundowns.' Hard Rock Stadium, home of NFL team the Miami Dolphins and sometimes Lionel Messi's Inter Miami Major League Soccer side, will be hot again with a 3pm Florida time kickoff.
