Mamelodi Sundowns secured an important victory in the 2026 FIFA Intercontinental Cup after defeating Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli 2-1 in a match played on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
The hero of the match was Sundowns striker Nuno Santos, who scored both of his team’s goals to help the South African club advance in the competition.
Sundowns made a fast start and took the lead in the 17th minute, with Santos heading home a cross from Teboho Mokoena to put his side 1-0 ahead.
However, the home side’s joy did not last long. Two minutes later, Al Ahli equalised after a shot from Feras Al Brikan struck goalkeeper Ronwen Williams and deflected into the net for an own goal.
The second half was highly competitive, with both teams searching for the winning goal. Sundowns eventually found what they were looking for in the 80th minute, when Santos scored his second header of the match to put his side 2-1 ahead. That goal proved decisive.
The victory saw Sundowns win the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup and advance to the next stage of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup.
Sundowns will now face the winner of the Derby of the Americas, which will feature Mexico’s Toluca against the winner of the 2026 Copa Libertadores.
The winner of that stage will advance to the FIFA Challenger Cup, where a place in the final against European champions Paris Saint-Germain will be at stake.
With this victory, Mamelodi Sundowns have shown that the African champions are ready to compete on the world stage, with Nuno Santos emerging as the hero of the day after his two goals secured an important victory for the Brazilians.
