At Loftus Versfeld this Friday night, the floodlights will shine on more than just a top-of-the-table CAF Champions League battle. For Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso, the clash against Sudanese giants Al Hilal feels like a defining moment in a season where every result shapes his future.
Chasing an early advantage
Sundowns and Al Hilal arrive in Pretoria tied on four points after two matches, though the Brazilians edge the table on goal difference. It is the kind of tight early contest that can set the tone for the rest of the group stage, especially for a club that treats continental football as central to its identity.
Sundowns opened their campaign with a confident 3-1 win over Saint-Éloi Lupopo before being held to a goalless draw by MC Alger, led by former Downs coach Rhulani Mokwena. While their domestic results have been a bit uneven by their usual standards, their Champions League ambitions remain intact.
A coach under scrutiny
The noise around Cardoso has grown louder in recent weeks, with talk of Pitso Mosimane’s possible return dominating football conversations from Pretoria to Polokwane. Cardoso, though, has pushed back at the rumour mill, calling out the swirl of online speculation that overshadows the work happening inside Chloorkop.
“People discuss football on the phone and speak about things they don’t understand,” he told journalists, making it clear that decisions at Sundowns are shaped internally, not by outside voices.
The club’s sporting director, Flemming Berg, and the leadership group have publicly backed the unity within the squad. Cardoso insists that what matters most right now is keeping supporters focused on the team’s continental journey rather than the chatter surrounding it.
Local context: Loftus under the lights
For Pretoria fans, Champions League nights at Loftus have become cultural events in their own right. The rhythm of vuvuzelas, the yellow sea behind the posts, and the growing expectation of deep runs into Africa’s premier club competition have shaped Sundowns’ modern identity.
Winning the Champions League in 2016 elevated the club’s standards. Since then, they have reached the knockout stages in eight of the last nine seasons. The platform is set. The history is there. What Cardoso and his players must now decide is whether 2026 becomes another season remembered or another one that slipped away.
A dangerous Al Hilal side
This Al Hilal team is not the one South Africans may remember from years past. With the Sudanese Civil War forcing them to compete in the Rwanda Premier League, the club has found a way to stay competitive and even dominant. They currently lead the league with 39 goals in 15 matches, outscoring their closest rivals by a stunning margin.
Their strike pairing of Sunday Adetunji and Mohamed Abdelrahman gives them a clinical edge, while the midfield trio of Waliedin Khidir, Madické Kane and Abdelrazig Omer brings structure and tempo.
They are organised, confident and unfazed by travel. Sundowns cannot afford to underestimate them.
Team news and key players
Themba Zwane’s return from injury brings a welcome boost. He featured off the bench in the Brazilians’ 2-0 victory over Orbit College on Monday, hinting at growing rhythm ahead of the continental showdown.
Peter Shalulile is once again expected to carry the attacking load for Sundowns. His movement remains one of the biggest threats in African football, and against a team that defends compactly, his sharpness could decide the evening.
Expected starting XI for Sundowns:
Ronwen Williams; Aubrey Modiba, Grant Kekana, Malibongwe Khoza, Khuliso Mudau; Marcelo Allende, Teboho Mokoena, Nuno Santos; Kutlwano Letlhaku, Peter Shalulile, Arthur Sales.
What’s at stake
Winning this match does more than place Sundowns in command of Group C. It gives Cardoso breathing room, reassures the supporters and reinforces the club’s continental ambitions.
More importantly, it sends a message to the rest of Africa that Sundowns remain one of the continent’s standard-bearers, regardless of coaching rumours or temporary domestic wobbles.
Match details
Date: Friday, 23 January
Time: 20:00 CAT
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Broadcast: SuperSport channel 209 and SABC 2
As the team steps onto the pitch under the Pretoria night sky, the expectations are clear. Sundowns have the pedigree, the players and the home support. Now all that remains is to seize control of the group and quiet the noise beyond the touchline.
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Source: ESPN FC
Featured Image Source: CAFCLCC on X
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