Sundowns face Hertha Berlin in emotional return to action after Jayden Adams’ death

Mamelodi Sundowns have taken to the field for the first time since the death of midfielder Jayden Adams, lining up against German side Hertha BSC Berlin in a high-profile pre-season friendly in Austria.

The South African champions, who arrived in Austria two days ago, travelled to Europe shortly after attending a memorial service for Adams, whose passing has cast a shadow over their preparations for the new campaign.

Yet with the Betway Premiership season just a fortnight away, Sundowns have been forced to balance grief with the urgency of getting ready for what could be one of the most demanding seasons in the club’s history.

At half-time in Tuesday’s match, the score stood at 1-1 after an evenly contested opening 45 minutes, with kick-off having been at 17:00 local time.

Eight-trophy pursuit adds pressure to pre-season

Sundowns, known as Masandawana, are bracing themselves for an unprecedented schedule, with the club potentially contesting eight different competitions in 2026–27.

They are set to compete in the Betway Premiership, MTN8, Carling Knockout, Nedbank Cup, CAF Super Cup, CAF Champions League, the African–Asian–Pacific Cup and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup.

Such a congested programme has made this European camp crucial for new head coach Miguel Cardoso and his squad, who will be expected to maintain domestic dominance while pushing for continental and intercontinental honours.

The meeting with Hertha Berlin follows a notable pre-season success two months earlier, when Sundowns claimed a friendly victory over Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, underlining the club’s ambition to measure themselves against European opposition.

Quiet transfer window as Shalulile exits

Despite the scale of the upcoming season, Sundowns have been relatively restrained in the transfer market.

The club have confirmed the arrivals of Antonio Van Wyk and Siyanda Ndlovu, both expected to bolster the squad’s depth as they prepare for multiple fronts.

At the same time, the club have parted ways with prolific striker Peter Shalulile, a key figure in their recent dominance. His departure leaves a notable gap in attack and increases the scrutiny on the forwards who remain and the new recruits.

Cardoso’s starting XI for the Hertha clash reflected both continuity and experimentation, with Van Wyk handed a start as the Portuguese coach fine-tunes his options before the domestic season begins.

Hertha Berlin tune up after promotion miss

Hertha BSC Berlin, currently in Bundesliga 2, are also using the fixture as a key part of their preparations.

The German club missed out on promotion to the Bundesliga last season, finishing seventh in the second tier, and will begin their new league campaign in the first week of August.

Facing Sundowns offers Hertha the chance to test themselves against a club with a contrasting style and provides a different tactical challenge from their usual domestic opponents.

Team line-ups in Austria

Sundowns named a strong starting XI in Austria:

Sundowns XI: Onyango, Johannes, Lunga, Kekana, Norawana, Modiba, T. Mokoena, Van Wyk, Letlhaku, Rayners, B. Mokoena

Hertha Berlin responded with the following line-up:

Hertha XI: Goller, Jensen, Gronning, Mamuzah Lum, Winkler, Thorsteinsson, Dardai, Berner, Telib, Grothe, Diallo

As the match continues, the game serves not only as a key tactical test for Sundowns but also as a poignant moment of transition, as the team begin the long road of a new season while still coming to terms with the loss of Adams.