Mamelodi Sundowns suffered a disappointing 3-1 defeat against USM Alger in the CAF Super Cup final at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday afternoon, missing out on another continental trophy in front of their home supporters.

The defeat will be difficult for the Brazilians to accept, especially after their recent disappointment in the CAF Champions League. Sundowns were hoping to put that setback behind them by winning the Super Cup, but the Algerian side proved too strong and punished their defensive mistakes throughout the match.

The match got off to an unfortunate start for Sundowns before the first whistle, as midfielder Nuno Santos suffered a hamstring injury and was forced to withdraw from the starting line-up. Cassius Mailula was brought into the team as his replacement.

However, the problems continued once the match started, with USM Alger showing their intentions from the opening minutes. The visitors looked dangerous whenever they attacked, particularly down the left side of the Sundowns defence, where they found space to create opportunities.

Their positive start was rewarded when veteran midfielder Zakaria Draoui opened the scoring with a simple finish. Sundowns struggled to deal with the pressure from their opponents and were forced to work hard to find a way back into the contest.

The Brazilians eventually got their opportunity through Thabang Matuludi, who won a penalty after a handball by a USM Alger player. The referee initially had to review the incident through the Video Assistant Referee system before pointing to the penalty spot.

Iqraam Rayners stepped up and calmly converted the penalty to bring Sundowns back into the match.

Rayners had only come onto the pitch after an unfortunate injury to striker Brayan Leon, who was unable to continue and had to be carried off on a stretcher. It was another difficult moment for Sundowns, who had already been forced to make an early change before the match began.

The equaliser gave the home supporters some hope, but Sundowns could not maintain their momentum for long. Just over ten minutes later, USM Alger regained their advantage through captain Saadi Radouani.

The goal came from a corner kick, with the Algerian side first hitting the crossbar with a header before Radouani reacted quickest to the rebound and pushed the ball into the net.

Sundowns went into the half-time break trailing 2-1, knowing they needed a much-improved performance after the interval. Their task became even more challenging when the start of the second half was delayed because of heavy rainfall at Loftus Versfeld.

The rain left water on the playing surface, affecting the movement of the ball during the opening stages of the second half. Nevertheless, Sundowns tried to take control of the match and put pressure on their opponents in search of another equaliser.

However, their attacking efforts left spaces at the back, and USM Alger took advantage of the opportunity.

Ahmed Khaldi produced one of the best moments of the match when he curled a beautiful effort beyond goalkeeper Ronwen Williams. The Sundowns captain had little chance of stopping the strike as the Algerian side extended their advantage to 3-1.

The goal left Sundowns with a difficult mountain to climb, and USM Alger managed the remainder of the match well to protect their lead.

For Sundowns, the defeat represents another disappointing result in continental competition after their recent Champions League elimination. The club will now have to reflect on what went wrong, particularly their defensive performance and the injuries that disrupted their plans.

Meanwhile, USM Alger celebrated another major achievement, securing their second CAF Super Cup title in three years. They previously lifted the trophy in 2023 after defeating Egyptian giants Al Ahly.

Their victory at Loftus Versfeld also confirmed their ability to compete against some of Africa's biggest clubs, while Sundowns were left disappointed after failing to deliver the trophy their supporters wanted.

Source: IDiskiTimes