Nuno Santos delivered a stunning response to his recent absence by scoring twice to win the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup for Mamelodi Sundowns. The Portuguese midfielder struck in the 17th and 80th minutes at Loftus Versfeld to secure a 2-1 victory over Saudi side Al Ahli Jeddah and lift the trophy.

Miguel Cardoso, the Mamelodi Sundowns coach, restored Santos to the starting eleven after several conversations and noticed a clear shift in the player's mindset. "I think what happened today was that they embraced each other," Cardoso said. "Nuno had his moment, it was not an easy moment and it's not important to speak about it today, what is important is that he has a smile on his face today."

The coach also reflected on the unpredictable nature of management. "Sometimes we play cards, we expect them to go well and they go wrong, other times we play cards, we have expectations to go well and they go well," he stated. "I always say we are not magicians, but sometimes we can make magic and the players can do magic."

Santos opened the scoring with a finish assisted by Teboho Mokoena. Al Ahli equalised just two minutes later through an own goal, but Santos had the final say with a late winner, set up by Thapelo Matuludi, to seal the continental trophy. The win adds another piece of silverware to the cabinet for a side that currently leads the Premier Soccer League by one point, having taken 20 points from their first eight games.

The performance and the trophy mark a powerful personal comeback for Santos after a period of uncertainty regarding his role. His commitment to the team's cause was evident, with the player telling Cardoso he would give the team whatever it needed. The victory extends Mamelodi Sundowns' unbeaten run to five matches across all competitions, a sequence you can review on our fixtures page. They now turn their attention back to league duties, with a trip to face 14th-placed Richards Bay scheduled for 17 October, as they look to maintain their position at the top of the standings.

Santos's decisive contributions were particularly key as the team's recent form has seen them average 2.4 goals per game over their last five outings. This victory, which required a focused effort for the full 90 minutes, follows a demanding schedule. The team's next challenge is a league fixture away to Richards Bay on 17 October, a match where they will aim to build on their current momentum and league position.

The report in full is at thestar.co.za