Mamelodi Sundowns vs USM Alger: CAF Supercup Preview, Team News, Prediction & Betting Tips

Mamelodi Sundowns host USM Alger in the CAF Super Cup final at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday, with kickoff at 15:00 SAST.

Downs bring the Champions League trophy to Pretoria, yet their continental season has already hit trouble, because Wiliete of Angola knocked them out of this season’s preliminary round.

USM Alger arrive as Confederation Cup winners after beating Zamalek 8-7 on penalties in Cairo in May, and they added the Algerian Cup under Lamine Ndiaye.

The winner collects $500,000, the runner-up half of that, and both clubs are chasing a second Super Cup after Downs won in 2017 and USM Alger in 2023.

⚽ Kickoff Snapshot: Sundowns vs USM Alger
Competition	TotalEnergies CAF Super Cup final
Kickoff	Sunday, November 8, 2026 at 15:00 SAST
Venue	Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
Where to Watch	SuperSport, DStv channel 208
Sundowns won both previous meetings, in the 2019/20 Champions League group stage.

Sundowns vs USM Alger: form and context

Sundowns lead the Betway Premiership after ten games, with eight wins, two draws and no defeats, and 27 goals scored against nine conceded.

Across their last five matches in all competitions, Downs have won three and drawn two, scoring seven and conceding two, with clean sheets against Wiliete away, Marumo Gallants and Golden Arrows.

Iqraam Rayners scored the only goal against Golden Arrows in the Carling Knockout quarter-final on Tuesday, when Miguel Cardoso rested several regulars and used Marcelo Allende and Nuno Santos off the bench.

Three days earlier, Thabang Matuludi scored twice in a 4-1 home win over Durban City.

Downs also won the MTN8 in October, beating Orlando Pirates 2-0 in the final in Durban.

USM Alger sit sixth in Ligue 1 on 14 points from seven games, three behind leaders CR Belouizdad, and several rivals have played more matches than they have.

Ndiaye’s side have won three of their last five league games, drawn one and lost one, and beat CS Constantine 2-0 on October 31.

They had no midweek fixture, whereas Sundowns played on Tuesday, and the Algerians have been training at the University of Pretoria since arriving on Wednesday.

Head-to-head: Downs won both meetings

Sundowns and USM Alger have met twice, both in the 2019/20 Champions League group stage, and Downs won both games.

They took the first 1-0 in Algeria on December 28, 2019 and the return 2-1 in Pretoria on January 11, 2020, with Pitso Mosimane in the dugout.

Nearly seven years and a change of coach later, those results are history rather than a guide, and they play no part in the tips below.

Team news and predicted XIs for Sundowns vs USM Alger

Sundowns carry the longer injury list, and Khuliso Mudau is the biggest absentee after rupturing his Achilles on August 19, with a return not expected until around March.

Teboho Mokoena, who scored in the second leg of the Champions League final in Rabat, remains a doubt after a second setback to the same knee ligament.

Cardoso says the club will not risk a player’s health, and he described Ronwen Williams’ problem as a pathology rather than a major injury.

Ricardo Goss has started the last three matches and is expected to keep the gloves, while Grant Kekana and Keegan Johannes are unavailable.

That has opened the door for Mothobi Mvala, who is back to full fitness after more than a year out and has partnered Malibongwe Khoza in the last two cup ties.

USM Alger have no reported injuries or suspensions.

Sundowns team news	USM Alger team news
Khuliso Mudau: out (Achilles) Teboho Mokoena: doubt (knee ligament) Ronwen Williams: doubt (being managed) Grant Kekana: out Keegan Johannes: unavailable	No injuries or suspensions reported
Expected XIs
Sundowns (4-3-3): Goss; Basadien, Khoza, Mvala, Matuludi; Santos, Aubaas, Allende; Ndlovu, Leon, Van Wyk
USM Alger (5-3-2 as listed; Ndiaye’s favoured shape is 4-3-3): Benbot; Loucif, Radouani, Malone, Abada, Mahrouz; Draoui, Likonza, Tendeng; Ramdaoui, Kamagate

Star player comparison: Leon against Ramdaoui

Brayan Leon has the most shots on target in the Sundowns squad this league season, 11, although he may have to fight Rayners for the starting place.

Mohamed El Amine Ramdaoui, 21, has scored half of USM Alger’s league goals despite joining later than planned in the summer, and he was an established starter within weeks.

Star Player Comparison
Brayan Leon Forward, Sundowns	Stat	Mohamed El Amine Ramdaoui Forward, USM Alger
3	League goals	5
3 of 27	Club league goals	5 of 10
26	Age	21
Colombia	Nationality	Algeria

The managers: Cardoso and Ndiaye

Cardoso took charge in December 2024 and delivered the Champions League in May, ending a 10-year wait for the club’s second continental crown.

Downs have scored 198 goals in 107 matches under him, so the Super Cup offers a chance to reach 200.

Ndiaye, 70, won the Champions League with TP Mazembe in 2010 and took them to the Club World Cup final in the same year.

Since arriving in February he has added the Algerian Cup and the Confederation Cup, and the club has extended his contract.

Tactical preview: where the final could turn

Cardoso’s expected line-up is a 4-3-3 with Allende, Santos and Aubaas in midfield and Ndlovu and Van Wyk wide of Leon, and the side have scored 40 goals in 19 matches this season.

The question for USM Alger is how to handle that width, and the expected line-up lists five defenders and two strikers, although Ndiaye’s favoured system is a 4-3-3.

Mvala and Khoza are still settling as a pairing after partnering in the last two cup ties, and they will face a physical forward in Ramdaoui who is comfortable playing with his back to goal.

Ramdaoui also has support, because Dramane Kamagate scored the opening goal in the Algerian Cup final against CR Belouizdad.

In goal, Goss has two clean sheets from his last three starts, so Sundowns are not as exposed as Williams’ uncertain fitness suggests.

Sundowns vs USM Alger tips: The Mzansi Slip

These are reasoned opinions, not guarantees, and no verified prices were available when this was written, so confirm the live market before placing anything.

🎯 The Mzansi Slip: Sundowns vs USM Alger

The Cert Sundowns win or draw (90 minutes) @ confirm live price Downs are unbeaten in the league and have not lost in their last five matches in all competitions.

Smart Money USM Alger to score @ confirm live price The Algerians have scored in four of their last five league matches, and Ramdaoui leads that attack.

The Wildcard Brayan Leon to score anytime @ confirm live price Leon has 11 shots on target this league season, the most in the squad, but check that he starts before backing him.

The Freebie Over 4.5 yellow cards @ confirm live price Referee Dahane Beida averages 5.6 yellow cards a match, which is above average.

Our Sundowns vs USM Alger prediction

🔮 Score Prediction

Sundowns 2 – 1 USM Alger

Downs have the deeper attack and the home crowd, but USM Alger have the fresher legs and a striker in form. Likely scorers: Brayan Leon, Iqraam Rayners and Mohamed El Amine Ramdaoui.