I couldn’t recognise my team against Al Hilal – MC Alger coach Rulani Mokwena

MC Alger head coach Rulani Mokwena has admitted his side fell short in their CAF Champions League group stage opener, suffering their first defeat of the season.

The Algerian champions went down 2-1 to Sudan’s Al Hilal in Group C on Friday, leaving Mokwena frustrated with his team’s first-half performance.

“A difficult game, we expected it to be difficult and it was difficult,” Mokwena told the media, as per Goal.

“Every team loses in the world; we will take our first defeat this season with a lot of humility, and also, we will take the lessons that come out of the result. And now we have five more games to play in the group. Let’s hope we get better.”

Mokwena acknowledged the team struggled early but praised their second-half adjustments.

“After losing a game, it’s difficult to speak about positives, but as I said to you, in the first half, I couldn’t recognise my team.

“But the response in the second half was good. Tactically, we also changed the build-up and some things.

“It was much better, and I think if we played the way we played in the second half for 90 minutes, the results would have been different,” he added.

MC Alger now turn their focus to a clash with Mokwena’s former side, Mamelodi Sundowns, on Friday evening.