Mamelodi Sundowns suffered another disappointing continental setback after losing 3-1 to USM Alger in the CAF Super Cup final at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Brazilians entered the encounter hoping to secure another trophy and give their supporters something to celebrate following their recent disappointment in the CAF Champions League. However, they were unable to overcome the Algerian side, who produced an impressive performance to claim the title.

Sundowns were also dealing with injury concerns ahead of the important encounter, leaving head coach Miguel Cardoso with additional challenges when preparing his team for the final.

Playing in front of their home supporters, the South African champions were expected to use their familiarity with Loftus Versfeld to their advantage. However, USM Alger proved difficult opponents and capitalised on their opportunities to secure a convincing victory.

The 3-1 defeat means Sundowns missed another opportunity to add continental silverware to their collection, while USM Alger celebrated an important triumph away from home.

The defeat was made more disappointing by the injury problems that affected Sundowns before and during the match. Portuguese midfielder Nuno Santos picked up an injury during the warm-up, forcing Cardoso to introduce Cassius Mailula into the starting lineup. Striker Brayan León was also forced off after just 15 minutes, with Iqraam Rayners replacing him.

USM Alger made an immediate impact, opening the scoring in the fourth minute through Zakaria Draoui after an excellent attacking move created by Ahmed Khaldi.

Sundowns responded in the 25th minute when Rayners converted a penalty following a VAR review for handball, bringing the score to 1-1.

However, the Algerian visitors restored their advantage in the 37th minute through Saadi Radouani, who headed home after Sundowns failed to deal with a corner.

The second half was delayed for approximately 35 minutes because of heavy rain and thunderstorms. When play resumed, USM Alger continued where they left off, with Khaldi producing an outstanding curling finish in the 55th minute to make it 3-1.

Sundowns attempted to find a way back into the contest but struggled to break down their opponents' organised defence.

The result handed USM Alger their second CAF Super Cup title, having previously won the competition in 2023.

For Cardoso, the defeat represents another difficult moment after Sundowns' recent CAF Champions League elimination against Angolan side Wiliete SC.

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