Mamelodi Sundowns captain Ronwen Williams says their CAF Super Cup defeat to USM Alger stings, but they need to dust themselves off quickly for there’s plenty to play for in the 2026/27 season.
Williams returned to the starting line-up after a couple of weeks out with injury, alongside influential midfielder Teboho Mokoena, just ahead of the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Kenya.
Both players are crucial for club and country as part of the spine – but they weren’t able to prevent a shock result at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday as the Confederation Cup champions ran out to a 3-1 win over the Champions League winners.
“Obviously, it’s tough. This one will hurt for a very long time,” he said in the mixed zone after the game.
“We’ve got to reflect as a team as to where we are and what we once were. We need to get back to that. As tough as it is, we need to pick ourselves up. It’s going to be a long season. We just need to be better as a team, [and] draw strength from one another and keep growing.”
Williams, who was part of the near-misses as Sundowns fell in the semi-finals and final of the Champions League before the triumph last season, says this one is up there with the biggest disappointments as a squad but it’s part of football.
“[There’s been] a lot of good moments and a lot of tough moments, a lot of moments that hurt so much. This is one of them, but we will keep going,” he added.
“You can’t win them all, but it’s disappointing to lose at home. We have to regroup and keep going.”
Williams will now report to Bafana camp this afternoon, as they begin preparations for the home and away qualifiers against 2027 AFCON co-hosts Kenya, led by Bafana Bafana legend Benni McCarthy.