MC Alger vs. Mamelodi Sundowns: Masandawana to face former boss Rhulani Mokwena on MD2 of CAFCL
Cardoso eyeing victory over his Sundowns predecessor
Mamelodi Sundowns kicked off their CAF Champions League campaign with an impressive 3-1 victory over Saint-Eloi Lupopo at Loftus Versfeld last weekend, and they now head to Douera this week looking to extend their winning start.
Awaiting the PSL champions is their former head coach, Rhulani Mokwena, whose new team, MC Alger, confirmed our football predictions when they lost on the opening day, but are in stunning form domestically this season.
MCA are leading the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 standings with 22 points in eight games (W7 D1) and have as many as four games in hand on their closest challengers, Olympique Akbou and MC Oran, in second and third place, respectively.
Mokwena spent several years with Masandawana and was part of their coaching staff the last time they won this competition back in 2016. He was promoted to head coach in 2022 and led the Brazilians to the semi-final in back-to-back seasons in 2022-23 and 2023-24.
Downs’ current boss, Miguel Cardoso, was at the helm at Esperance Tunis during the 2023-24 campaign and knocked Mokwena’s side out of the competition that year. Now the Portuguese tactician has the chance to get another win over his predecessor with his new club.
Sundowns have not been at their usual high level this season, but they have shown signs of rediscovering their rhythm in recent times, set to enter this match unbeaten in their last five games across all competitions, four of which ended in victory.
Sundowns missing key players for trip to Algeria
Despite Mamelodi Sundowns’ reaching the final of the CAF Champions League last season and their uptick in recent form, all of the best online betting sites are firmly in the camp of the home side heading into this high-stakes encounter.
A large reason for that is MC Alger’s incredible 11-match unbeaten streak at home, but also partly due to Sundowns' absentee list at present, which currently features a few key players sidelined due to injury.
Despite being included in Hugo Broos’ Bafana Bafana squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco next month, Temba Zwane is still on the treatment table at present, and there is no confirmed return date for the midfield stalwart.
Additionally, Namibian international and long-time Downs servant Peter Shalulile is also ruled out for this match through injury, though they do have cover in attack in the form of former Vitoria Guimaraes striker Nuno Santos, who bagged a brace in the victory at Loftus last week.
