Mokwena to MC Alger: ‘Pain of Sundowns game our strength’

Smarting from the CAF Champions League (CAFCL) elimination, Mouloudia Club d’Alger (MC Alger) coach Rulani Mokwena has delivered a motivational speech to his squad, cajoling them to channel their pain into the Algerian league title chase.

The South African, who presided over a 2-0 loss to his former employers Mamelodi Sundowns in Pretoria on Saturday, is painfully aware of how damaging the CAFCL Group C result can have on his team’s bid to retain the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle1 championship.

A confident home performance sees Masandawana finish the group stages with a win. 🔥#Sundowns #TotalEnergiesCAFCL #AreyengMasandawana pic.twitter.com/eF8SWBqJG4

— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) February 15, 2026

The defeat at Loftus Versfeld Stadium condemned MC Alger out of the Champions League quarter final stage qualification bid. Instead, the Betway Premiership landlords sailed through to the next stage alongside Group C leaders Al Hilal Omdurman.

Now back to the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 title chase, Mokwena, according to Algerian news outlet Competition.dz, gathered his players in the dressing room upon returning to Algiers.

Mokwena motivates Algerian champions with pain

The youthful coach shared with his squad lessons of how pain can be used as a source of motivation to retain the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 glory.

“Yes, it hurts,” The 39-year-old is quoted as saying. “But this pain must become our strength. Great teams don’t run from their mistakes, they face them.”

The former Sundowns handler addressed the players as they focus on the domestic league assignment against MC Oran on Friday.

MC Alger coach wary of loss to Sundowns

The table-topping MC Alger have four games in hand and a four-point lead over second-placed CS Constantine, and the former Orlando Pirates man is aware of how the Champions League defeat can impact that cushion.

“We have four games in hand and a four-point lead over CSC. The championship is in our hands. Every match is a final. Oran will be our first real test of character. If we play with personality, no one can stop us,” Mokwena explained.

The former Orlando Pirates trainer has suffered one league defeat in 15 games since taking charge of the Algerian champions who he has also led to the Algerian Super Cup glory. The Champions League heartbreak is the only blot on an otherwise flawless season.

MC Oran are in sixth place in the log table, 12 points behind the leaders.