Williams says Sundowns’ Super Cup loss to USM Alger will linger

Mamelodi Sundowns captain Ronwen Williams has admitted that the club’s CAF Super Cup defeat to USM Alger left the squad hurting. He insists, however, that the team must move on quickly because the 2026/27 season still has plenty to offer, according to iDiski Times.

USM Alger, the Confederation Cup champions, beat the Champions League winners 3-1 at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday.

A painful result at home

Williams had missed a couple of weeks with an injury and was back between the posts for the match. Midfielder Teboho Mokoena also started. Both are central to Sundowns and to the national side, but neither could prevent the upset in Pretoria.

Speaking in the mixed zone after the final whistle, Williams said the loss would stay with the players for a long time. He called on the group to reflect honestly on “where we are and what we once were” and to find their way back to that level.

“As tough as it is, we need to pick ourselves up,” Williams said. He added that the campaign is long and that the players must improve collectively, lean on each other and keep growing.

The goalkeeper has been through heavy disappointments with Sundowns before. He was part of the group that lost a Champions League semi-final and a final before the club lifted the trophy last season. Williams said this result ranks among the biggest letdowns for the squad, but he described it as part of football. He also said it is especially disappointing to lose at home, and that the team has to regroup and carry on.

Focus shifts to Bafana Bafana

There is little time to dwell on it. Williams was set to report to the Bafana Bafana camp on Tuesday afternoon, as the national team begins preparing for home and away qualifiers against Kenya on the road to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

Kenya are co-hosts of that tournament and are coached by Bafana Bafana legend Benni McCarthy, which adds an extra storyline to the two matches.

What happens next

For Sundowns supporters, the message from the captain is that the team intends to bounce back across the rest of the season. For Bafana followers, the Kenya qualifiers are the next fixtures to look out for, with one match at home and one away.

This story is based on reporting by iDiski Times.