Rayners warns Sundowns must be clinical against Golden Arrows

Mamelodi Sundowns striker Iqraam Rayners has said his side cannot afford to waste chances when they take on Golden Arrows in the Carling Knockout Cup on Tuesday, according to IOL.

The Bafana Bafana forward expects a tough match against Abafana Bes’thende, but believes the Brazilians have the experience and quality to get through it.

Knockout football and the need to score early

Rayners said knockout fixtures carry a different kind of uncertainty, as opponents often approach them cautiously and try to frustrate the favourites. He insisted Sundowns know how to handle that kind of pressure.

“Knockout games are always difficult to play because you don’t know what to expect from the other teams,” Rayners said, adding that Sundowns know how to win when matches become difficult.

The striker named early goals as the key to unlocking Arrows. He feels Sundowns have created plenty of opportunities against teams like them in earlier meetings, but says converting those chances is what matters if they want to avoid making the contest harder than it needs to be.

In his view, scoring early would change the shape of the match. Once Sundowns do that, he said, the game will open up.

Ncikazi returns to the Arrows dugout

The tie also brings a reunion with Mandla Ncikazi, who recently went back to Golden Arrows as head coach after ending a five-year association with Pirates.

Rayners spoke well of the Arrows coach, saying he is a good coach whose teams know how to set up against Sundowns. He stressed, however, that the champions’ focus will stay on their own game plan.

“We just need to do our job and work as hard as possible,” he said, referring to the aim of getting the result.

Form going into the match

Sundowns arrive at the fixture after a 4-1 win over Durban City in the Betway Premiership. With a place in the next round at stake, Rayners and his teammates hope to carry that momentum into the cup tie and stop Arrows from settling.

For supporters, this is a one-off knockout match, so the winner moves on and the loser is out of the competition.

This story is based on reporting by IOL.