Mamelodi Sundowns suffered another disappointing night in continental football after losing 3-1 to USM Alger in the CAF Super Cup final at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Brazilians, who lifted the 2025/26 CAF Champions League title, were unable to add another continental trophy to their collection as the Algerian side, winners of the CAF Confederation Cup, secured their second Super Cup crown.
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USM Alger made an immediate impact, taking the lead in the fourth minute through Zakaria Draoui, who converted Ahmed Khaldi’s low cross from close range.
Sundowns had an early setback when Brayan Leon picked up an injury and made way for Iqraam Rayners in the 17th minute. However, Rayners restored parity from the penalty spot in the 25th minute after a VAR review found Achref Abada guilty of handball inside the box.
The hosts had opportunities to take the lead, with Thapelo Morena coming close, but USMA regained the advantage in the 36th minute when captain Saadi Radouani headed home following a rebound from a corner.
Morena missed another opportunity to equalise before the break, leaving Sundowns trailing 2-1 at half-time.
The second half restart was late by approximately 30 minutes due to heavy rain, but USMA wasted little time extending their advantage after the restart. Khaldi produced a superb left-footed finish in the 55th minute to beat Ronwen Williams and make it 3-1.
Sundowns struggled to find a response on a rain-affected pitch, with USMA threatening further through Khaldi and substitute Dramane Kamagate. A late Sundowns goal was also ruled out after the ball had crossed the byline.
Reflecting on the defeat, head coach Miguel Cardoso described the encounter as an unfortunate one, pointing to the injuries, missed opportunities and difficult playing conditions.
Cardoso revealed that losing a player during the warm-up disrupted the team’s preparations before Leon’s first-half injury forced another change.
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He also admitted that Sundowns failed to capitalise on their opportunities, while USMA proved more clinical in front of goal.
The difference is the level of profit that they had, and the level of us that could not score our chances,” Cardoso said.
The Portuguese coach acknowledged that the heavy rain made Sundowns’ preferred style of play increasingly difficult, although he insisted that the conditions were not an excuse for the result.
We could have done something better, mostly in the first half,” he added, before congratulating USM Alger on their victory.
Senior coach Steve Komphela urged the team to remember its stature despite the disappointment, revealing that an opposing player had reminded Sundowns of their ability to recover after the final whistle.
You guys are a big team. You will recover,” Komphela recalled the USMA player telling him.
He acknowledged that Sundowns always aspire to win every trophy but admitted that football does not always follow expectations, particularly when two continental champions meet.
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Captain Ronwen Williams described the defeat as particularly painful, admitting that losing a final at home would take time to overcome.
This one will hurt for a very long time,” Williams said.
The goalkeeper also called on the team to reflect on its recent performances and rediscover the standards that have defined Sundowns over the years.
We need to get back to that. As tough as it is, we need to pick ourselves up as a team,” he added.
Sundowns will now have to regroup and shift their attention to the remainder of the season after missing out on another opportunity to claim continental silverware.