USM Alger dealt a heavy blow to South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns, winning 3-1 on their own turf to claim the African Super Cup for the second time in their history and underline their standing among the continent's big names.
The Algerians won at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria on Sunday evening, adding another continental title to their cabinet at the expense of one of Africa's most prominent clubs.
It took them just four minutes to go in front. Zakaria Draoui found the net after making the most of a pass from Khaldi, handing his side an early lead.
Sundowns hit back on 25 minutes. Rayners stepped up to take a penalty and placed the ball into the net, levelling the contest.
USM Alger restored their advantage in the 37th minute through Redouani, who followed up a ball that rebounded off the post and headed home. The first half ended with the Algerians leading 2-1.
Heavy rain then forced a stoppage. The downpour over the Loftus Versfeld Stadium delayed the start of the second half amid concerns over the state of the pitch and the safety of the players, before officials confirmed the match could be completed.
Once play resumed, USM Alger carried on dominating. Ahmed Khaldi burst down the left flank and unleashed a powerful shot into the far corner for the third on 55 minutes, extending the lead and leaving Sundowns with a mountain to climb.
From there the Algerians held firm until the final whistle, sealing a 3-1 win and a second African Super Cup.
Their first triumph came in 2023, when they overcame Egypt's Al Ahly by a single unanswered goal. Now they have done it again.
Confidence was already high heading into this one. USM Alger lifted the CAF Confederation Cup for the second time on 16 May 2026, beating Egypt's Zamalek on penalties.
Mamelodi Sundowns, by contrast, arrived as CAF Champions League winners after seeing off Morocco's AS FAR. They hoped to add the Super Cup to that record, only to run into a USM Alger side determined to snatch the cup from the heart of Pretoria.
Sundowns had won the African Super Cup once before, in 2017, beating DR Congo's TP Mazembe by a single unanswered goal.