USM Alger player’s message offers Steve Komphela perspective after Sundowns defeat

Mamelodi Sundowns assistant coach Steve Komphela says an unexpected message from a USM Alger player reminded him of the South African club’s standing after their CAF Super Cup defeat.

Sundowns, the reigning CAF Champions League winners, lost 3-1 to Confederation Cup holders USMA at Loftus Stadium on Sunday. The result marked another setback in a CAF competition this season, following the club’s surprise elimination from the Champions League before the group stages.

Komphela said a USM Alger player approached him immediately after the final whistle to offer encouragement.

“It’s funny because as soon as the match came to an end, one of the players from USMA came through and said something very strange,” Komphela told the media.

“He said, ‘You guys are a big team, you will recover.’ For me, that was profound. Sometimes in life, we need reminders about who we are and this is the one.”

The former Bafana Bafana international acknowledged that Sundowns would like to win every trophy available, but stressed that success cannot be assumed, regardless of a club’s status or previous achievements.

“We wanted to win it, unfortunately it couldn’t fall our way,” he said. “You don’t want to start throwing forward and get paralysed by the fact that you start looking at things that are coming.”

Sundowns had been expected to have the advantage as Champions League winners facing a side that had lifted the Confederation Cup. However, Komphela said football did not always follow that logic.

“Where we are, we are hurting, and also for our supporters,” he said. “The fact that you are the Champions League winners, when you play folks who are also winners, but in the Confederation Cup, logic or common sense or expectation would be that Champions League winners should win.

“Sometimes football is not like that. We regret the result, we wanted it different. Unfortunately, it did not come our way.”

The international break, which officially began on Monday, gives Sundowns time to assess the defeat and plan their response. Komphela said difficult moments could help shape the team’s character.

“This is how your character gets built,” he added. “I don’t think we are the first ones to go through this and we are not going to be the last ones.

“Sundowns have been in situations where we needed to dust ourselves off and show character. We have a great dressing room with highly experienced players, and a technical team that is strong enough and has a way to focus on what has to be looked at.

“As they always say, this is breakfast for champions.”