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Mamelodi Sundowns are through to the FIFA Intercontinental Cup Challenger Cup. They beat Al Ahli of Saudi Arabia 2-1 at a packed Loftus Versfeld on Saturday afternoon, with both goals scored by Portuguese midfielder Nuno Santos. The result makes Sundowns the third consecutive African club champions to win the African-Asian-Pacific Cup fixture, following Al Ahly in 2024 and Pyramids over the same Al Ahli side in Jeddah twelve months ago. The African record in this specific fixture is now three from three. Santos is the reason the record stands.
The match ran on a knife edge from the third minute through to the 79th. Sundowns threatened early with a shot that went straight to Edouard Mendy. Al Ahli responded, with Ziyad Al-Jahni collecting Ivan Toney's pass and striking against the post in the 11th minute. Santos headed Sundowns in front in the 17th minute after Al Ahli's defence failed to clear, with Valentin Atangana unable to provide cover and Santos arriving unmarked to finish. Two minutes later, Firas Al-Buraikan's effort deflected off Ronwen Williams and into the net, and the match was level at 1-1 at the half-hour mark. The rest of the first half and the majority of the second were defined by Al Ahli's structured defensive shape and Sundowns' patient possession game, neither side finding a decisive opening. Santos met a cross and headed home in the 79th minute. Al Ahli pressed for the equaliser in the closing stages. Sundowns' defence held.
The Thabang Matuludi Debut
The match produced a subplot that the scoreline alone does not capture. Thabang Matuludi, one of Sundowns' summer signings, started at right-back for his competitive debut despite the registration deadline complications that had placed his participation in doubt. He was directly involved in the build-up to Santos's first goal, his delivery from the right flank creating the situation Al Ahli's defence mishandled. New signing, debut start, goal contribution: the kind of detail that sporting narratives are made from and editorial departments cannot manufacture. It happened at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Ronwen Williams, whose deflection had gifted Al Ahli their equaliser in the 19th minute, then made three critical saves in the second half that preserved the advantage when Al Ahli pressed. The captain had described reaching the Challenger Cup as the squad's ultimate goal before kick-off. The goal is reached. Miguel Cardoso described the victory as a collective achievement built on the mentality the squad developed winning back-to-back CAF Champions League titles. The squad that won in Rabat against AS FAR in May is the same squad that held Al Ahli for 90 minutes in Pretoria on Saturday. The depth and the mentality are the same. The stage is bigger.
What Comes Next
Sundowns now enter the Challenger Cup alongside the winner of the Derby of the Americas between Toluca of Mexico and the Copa Libertadores champion, whose identity will not be confirmed until November 2026. The Challenger Cup winner faces Paris Saint-Germain in the Intercontinental Cup final. PSG, the defending holders and 2025-26 Champions League winners, enter directly at the final stage. The centralised venue for the later stages has not been confirmed by FIFA. Sundowns will face either a CONCACAF or CONMEBOL representative. They enter the fixture as the African champions who just beat the Asian champions on home soil with both goals scored by the same player, three days before the AFCON 2027 qualification campaign opens across the continent. Sport Blot will carry the Challenger Cup draw and the full bracket update when FIFA confirms the format and the Derby of the Americas result.
