Mamelodi Sundowns hold Hertha Berlin as Van Wyk scores on debut in Austria friendly

Mamelodi Sundowns battled to a 1-1 draw with German side Hertha Berlin in their first pre-season friendly in Austria, as new signing Antonio van Wyk marked his debut with a well-taken goal.

Sundowns return to action after Adams tribute

The South African champions only resumed their on-field preparations this week after delaying their departure from Johannesburg in the wake of midfielder Jayden Adams’ death last week.

The club remained in South Africa to hold special memorial services for Adams before flying out to their Austrian training base on Sunday.

With emotions still raw, head coach Miguel Cardoso named a strong line-up for the opening tour fixture, with veteran goalkeeper Denis Onyango restored between the posts.

New attacking recruit Antonio van Wyk was handed a start and formed part of a three-man frontline alongside Iqraam Rayners and Bennet Mokoena.

Hertha bring sharper match fitness

Sundowns faced a Hertha Berlin team already deeper into their preparations for the new season.

The 2. Bundesliga side had three warm-up matches under their belt prior to Tuesday’s meeting, including a 3-2 victory over Austrian club Tirol at the weekend, giving them a clear advantage in match rhythm.

That greater sharpness showed as the first half wore on, with the German outfit growing in control of possession and territory against the African champions.

Hertha eventually made the pressure count six minutes before the interval when Leon Jensen broke the deadlock, finishing a well-worked move to give the Berliners a 1-0 lead.

Van Wyk strikes back quickly

The advantage, however, proved short-lived.

Barely two minutes after Jensen’s opener, Sundowns hit back through Van Wyk, who reacted quickest to a loose ball inside the penalty area.

The forward pounced in the box and showed composure to steer his effort beyond the Hertha goalkeeper, levelling the contest and capping an encouraging first outing in Sundowns colours.

The equaliser settled the Brazilians and the match became more even, with both sides creating half-chances but unable to alter the scoreline before half-time.

Mailula returns as second half tightens

After the break, Cardoso used the occasion to assess more of his squad, with South African striker Cassius Mailula introduced as one of several second-half changes.

Mailula, who has been seeking to re-establish himself after his move abroad, added fresh energy to Sundowns’ attack, but both teams struggled to carve out clear openings as the game wore on and the usual pre-season substitutions disrupted rhythm.

Despite Hertha’s superior match fitness and Sundowns’ emotional build-up to the tour, the Pretoria side remained compact defensively and limited the Germans to few genuine chances in the closing stages.

Neither team was able to find a decisive second goal, and the encounter concluded in a 1-1 stalemate – a solid first workout for Sundowns under testing circumstances.

Quick turnaround before Al Hilal test

Cardoso and his players now have a short recovery period before their next challenge in Austria.

Sundowns are scheduled to face Saudi Pro League giants Al Hilal on Friday, a fixture likely to provide another stern examination of their readiness for the forthcoming campaign.

The club will continue to balance tactical and physical preparations with the emotional toll of Adams’ passing, as they look to sharpen their squad for domestic and continental title defences in the 2026/27 season.