Mamelodi Sundowns lost the CAF Super Cup final 3-1 to USM Alger on Sunday afternoon at Loftus Versfeld Stadium. The defeat is a rare blemish for the side that leads the Premier Soccer League by a point with 26 points from ten games, having won eight, drawn two and lost none of their league matches this season. Their recent form in the league is five games unbeaten, with four wins and a draw.
Iqraam Rayners scored a first-half penalty for Sundowns, but goals from Zakaria Draoui, Saâdi Radouani and Khaldi secured the trophy and a $500,000 prize for the Algerian champions. The loss came despite Sundowns' formidable domestic form, which has seen them score 27 goals and concede just nine this season, giving them a goal difference of plus eighteen. Their last result before this final was a 1-0 league win over Golden Arrows on Tuesday 3 November, with Rayners scoring the decisive goal.
How the final unfolded
USM Alger struck early, with Draoui finishing in the fourth minute. Sundowns responded when Rayners converted a penalty after 25 minutes, but Radouani restored the visitors' lead before halftime. Khaldi added a third ten minutes after the break, effectively sealing the result.
The match was further complicated by injuries for Sundowns. Nuno Santos was hurt during the warm-up, forcing Mailula into the starting lineup, and Bryan Leon was forced off after just 15 minutes. The team's next challenge is an away trip to face ninth-placed Kruger United on Saturday 28 November. They will aim to bounce back and protect their slender one-point lead at the top of the table over Orlando Pirates.
Rayners, who is the club's top scorer this season with four goals in seven appearances, provided the only consolation. The team will now regroup for the league, where their recent form reads three wins, a draw and this loss from their last five matches across all competitions. Their other recent results include a 4-1 victory over Durban City on Saturday 31 October, a 1-0 win against Marumo Gallants on Tuesday 27 October, and a 1-1 draw with Wiliete on Friday 23 October.
On 2026-11-09, head coach Miguel Cardoso addressed the 1-3 Super Cup final defeat. He pointed to missed chances and the pitch, stating, "the difference was the level of profit they had from what they created." Cardoso said the second-half rain made conditions "catastrophic" but stressed it was not an excuse. The defeat is the team's only loss in their last five matches across all competitions, with a recent form of 3W-1D-1L. They remain 1st in the Premier Soccer League, 1 point clear of Orlando Pirates.
The club has now confirmed the extent of the injuries suffered in the Super Cup final. Mamelodi Sundowns stated that Nuno Santos has a grade two hamstring tear and Bryan Leon has a grade one hamstring strain. The club gave no timeline for their returns. The league leaders, who are 1st with 26 points from 10 games, face Kruger United next on 28 November.
Head coach Miguel Cardoso reflected on the 1-3 Super Cup final defeat. He said the loss of Nuno Santos in the warm-up and Bryan Leon early in the match disrupted the team's strategy. Cardoso stated, "It is an emotional loss and also a change of strategy." He added that the team's mistakes were punished and the difference was USM Alger taking their chances.
On 2026-11-10, the club published its match report on the 1-3 CAF Super Cup final defeat. The report detailed the sequence of goals, confirming Iqraam Rayners' 25th-minute penalty. It noted a lengthy interval due to inclement weather and highlighted Teboho Mokoena's long-range attempts. The league leaders, who are 1st in the Premier Soccer League with 26 points from 10 games, must now regroup ahead of their next fixture away to Kruger United on 28 November.
