USM Alger Silences Sundowns In Super Cup

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The current CAF Champions league Mamelodi Sundowns went down by three goals to one against Algerian outfit USM Alger during the CAF Super Cup clash at Loftus-Versfeld, losing out on their second continental triumph in front of their home supporters on Sunday afternoon.

The reigning CAF Confederation cup holders, USM Alger needed four minutes from the referee’s kick-off whistle, with Zakaria Draoui found the back of the net after a ruthless counter-attack.

Sundowns endured their second blow when their point of reference striker Bryan Leon, suffered a groin injury, forcing the home side to make another substitution. Earlier on, the Tshwane side were compelled to withdraw Nuno Santos from starting Xl, when he picked up a discomfort during a pre-match warm up. Then, the Portuguese attacker was then replaced by Cassius Mailula.

In a sudden turn of events, VAR review identified the Algerian defender Achref Abada making a handball from a delivery by Aubrey Modiba, which awarded Sundowns a fortunate penalty. Rayners proficiently converted the 12-yards kick to level the matters in the 25th minute.

In the 36th minute, while the Brazilians were boiling up their momentum, the Red and Blacks retained the ascendancy from a corner kick, when Imadeddine Azzi’s header hit the crossbar, and captain Saadi Radouani reacted the quickest, to convert and regain the lead, silencing the home fans.

USM Alger went into the interval with a 2-1 lead. The second phase kickoff was halted for large amounts of time, due to a heavy rainstorm. Both sides reshuffled their line-ups in the second stanza, with Siyanda Ndlovu replacing Morena for Downs, and Aime Tendeng replacing Farid Boulaya for USMA.

The away team extended their dominance by 3-1 on the 55th minute, when Khaldi came inside from the right flank, to bend a sublime effort into the net.

Sundowns’ promising threat of mounting a comeback into the match was a disallowed goal, (for the ball running out of play at the byline) with only ten minutes of normal time left, while the North African team almost added to their advantage via Khaldi and substitute Kamagate efforts.

Mamelodi Sundowns (1) 1 (Rayners 25’ pen)

USM Alger (2) 3 (Draoui 4’, Radouani 36’, Khaldi 55’)

SUNDOWNS: Williams, Matuludi (Zwane 84’), Khoza, Ndamane, Modiba (Basadien 84’), Morena (Ndlovu 46’), Mokoena, Allende, Matthews, Mailula (Van Wyk 58’), Leon (Rayners 17’)

USMA: Benbot, Radouani, Azzi, Abada, Mahrouz, Draoui (Malone 83’), Loucif, Likonza, Boulaya (Tendeng 46’), Khaldi (Guenaoui 88’), Ramdaoui (Kamagate 70’)