Mamelodi Sundowns' Iqram Rayners sets sights on African glory against Al Ahly

IQRAAM RAYNERS is yet to realize the dream that saw him take up the challenge of trading his home province Western Cape, for Gauteng a second time. 

But he is very close to it and is going to stop at nothing to ensure the dream becomes a reality.

“I came to (Mamelodi) Sundowns to win trophies and to compete in every competition,” the 29-year-old striker tells a group of media ahead of this weekend’s CAF Champions League clash with Al Ahly.

Sundowns host the Egyptian side in the first leg of the penultimate match of the continent’s premier club knockout competition at Loftust Versfeld on Saturday at 3pm.

Overcome the record champions and Sundowns will be well on their way to being crowned African champions a second time.

It is the kind of success Rayners would probably not have ever experienced had he not been brave enough to leave the comfort zone of the Mother City for a second tilt at success in Tshwane.

He first made the move up north after shinning so bright in the colours of Stellenbosch FC that SuperSport United came calling.

Rayners had a wretched time with Matsatsantsa.

The net-banging striker became a blunt forward who could not buy a goal and talk of him becoming the country’s next super striker from the Mother City quickly dissipated.

“SuperSport was difficult because they did not play me where I used to play. Things did not work out the way coach wanted to play but going back to Cape Town, Coach Steve (Barker) knew how to use me and it gave me the opportunity to do well and getting a move back to Gauteng,” said Rayners.

He has fitted into the Sundowns way like a glove, Rayners scoring freely and playing a crucial role in the Brazilians remaining in contention for continental football’s biggest prize.

“For a team as big as Sundowns, every season they are winning trophies and they go far in the Champions League. We have prepared well (for Al Ahly) and as a team our focus is on winning the game at home," said Rayners.

"The week’s been good and we are looking forward to Saturday. Every game that we play is a big game and this weekend’s one is the same. We want to go into the final.”

That they are fresh from a depressing defeat by Kaizer Chiefs in the Nedbank Cup has not deflated Rayners and his teammates.

“What happened the past weekend (happened). There’s always an opportunity to play another cup, another league match. Whatever happens, it happens, we cannot control it. But we will keep pushing until the end,” he said.

“For every match we play, the motivation is still the same. The mood is still good in the camp and we need to focus one game at a time.”

And their focus right now is on beating Al Ahly to give themselves a huge advantage ahead of the second leg way in Cairo.

For Rayners, the motivation is massive, his desire to win trophies with Sundowns still burning hot as it did when he first came through. After all, he is yet to win anything with the Brazilians.