Mamelodi Sundowns will play USM Alger of Algeria in the CAF Super Cup on 8 November. The match is at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria and kicks off at 15:00.
The one-off final brings together the winners of Africa’s two main club competitions from last season. Sundowns qualified as Champions League winners, according to CAF.
The Pretoria club won the Champions League after beating AS FAR of Morocco over two legs. That came after Sundowns won their eighth Premier Soccer League title in a row.
A win at Loftus would give Sundowns their second Super Cup trophy. They first won it in 2017.
USM Alger earned their place by winning last season’s Confederation Cup. The final against Zamalek of Egypt ended 1-1 on aggregate over two legs. The Algerian side then won 8-7 on penalties.
USM Alger have also won the Super Cup once before. They lifted the trophy in 2023.
Sundowns go into the match after an early exit from this season’s Champions League. Wiliete SC of Angola knocked them out in the second preliminary round.
According to CAF, the first leg ended 0-0. The second leg in Pretoria finished 1-1, and Wiliete went through on the away goals rule.
The result was one of the biggest upsets in the competition this season, The South African reported.
Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso admitted that missing out on the main stage of the competition hurt the team.
“It’s a big knockout this one; it’s a big punch in our faces, yes. But what will make us stronger is how we will react; there are so many more things to win,” Cardoso said.
At home, Sundowns have kept winning. They beat Orlando Pirates 2-0 to win the MTN8 trophy.
The club has also reached the semi-finals of the Carling Knockout Cup. Sundowns are top of the PSL log.
Sundowns and USM Alger have played each other twice before, according to Flashscore. Both games were in the group stage of the 2019/20 CAF Champions League.
The first match was played in Algiers in December 2019. Sundowns won that game 1-0.
The return match was in Pretoria in January 2020. Sundowns won 2-1 and booked their place in the next round.
The Super Cup final will be USM Alger’s second visit to Pretoria to face Sundowns. Kick-off at Loftus Versfeld is at 15:00 on 8 November.
Source: this article is based on reporting by The South African. Image: The South African. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Sports desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Tiyani Mathebula writes about sport for Tzaneen Voice. Tiyani covers Bafana Bafana, the Springboks, the Proteas and the PSL, along with athletics, tennis and local club sport. Match reports and previews focus on results, team news, fixtures and what each game means for South African teams and fans.