The bookmakers hardly saw it coming. With odds of 5.30 for an Algerian win against 1.58 for the South Africans, the outcome of this 35th CAF Super Cup seemed a foregone conclusion. Yet on the pitch at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, in front of around 10,000 spectators, USM Alger turned every prediction on its head by beating Mamelodi Sundowns 3-1 on Sunday, November 8.
The tone was set almost immediately. In the 4th minute, Ahmed Khaldi broke clear down the left before picking out Zakaria Draoui, who simply had to steer the ball home. It was the perfect start for the Reds and Blacks, all the more so because their opponents were already short-handed. Portuguese midfielder Nuno Santos had been injured in the warm-up and was replaced at the last minute by Cassius Mailula, before striker Brayan Leon was forced off in the 17th minute and replaced by Iqraam Rayners.
That enforced change nearly brought the African champions back into it. After a VAR review, Mauritanian referee Dahane Beida penalised Achref Abada for handball from an Aubrey Modiba cross. Rayners stepped up and sent Oussama Benbot the wrong way to equalise in the 25th minute. Sundowns then took control of the game, but it was USMA who regained the lead shortly before the break. In a scramble following a corner, a header struck the crossbar before Saadi Radouani pounced to score the second goal, around the 37th minute. Just before half-time, Morena missed the chance to level again, sending his effort over the bar.
The start of the second half was delayed because of the weather. When play resumed, Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso sent on Siyanda Ndlovu for Morena, to no avail. In the 55th minute, Khaldi struck the decisive blow. Taking advantage of a static South African defence, he curled a superb shot from outside the box beyond the reach of Ronwen Williams. Loftus Versfeld fell silent.
Sundowns then threw everything forward. The statistics reflect their dominance, with 21 shots compared with just nine for the Algerians. But USM Alger’s compact, disciplined block held firm. Basadien saw his effort saved by Benbot in the 89th minute, and Van Wyk wasted two late chances in stoppage time. After five added minutes, the Algerian players were finally able to celebrate.
The victory gives USM Alger a second Super Cup, following the one they won in 2023 against Al Ahly. According to TRT World, they are the first Algerian club to lift the trophy twice. The club from the capital qualified by beating Zamalek on penalties in last season’s Confederation Cup final. Their win also confirms a broader trend, with Confederation Cup winners having claimed the Super Cup in four of the last five editions. Financially, USMA take home $500,000, against $250,000 for their opponents.
For Mamelodi Sundowns, the evening extends a difficult spell on the continental stage. A few weeks earlier, the reigning African champions had already been knocked out in the preliminary rounds of the new Champions League by Angolan side Wiliete. It is a second setback in a short space of time for a club used to dominating African football.