Saturday, February 14 (3PM CAT) Group C Al Hilal Vs St Eloi Lupopo (Amahoro Stadium, Kigali) Mamelodi Sundowns Vs MC Alger (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria) The 2025/26 CAF Champions League Group C has been thrown wide open following a dramatic Matchday 5 weekend that saw both Al Hilal Omdurman and Mamelodi Sundowns stumble, intensifying the race for the quarterfinals. Group leaders Al Hilal suffered their first defeat of the campaign, going down 2–1 away to MC Alger on Friday night. Meanwhile, South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns were held to a 1–1 draw by FC Saint-Éloi Lupopo in Lubumbashi, extending their winless run to three matches. ALSO READ: CAF CL: MC Alger defeat Al Hilal to keep knockouts hopes alive After five rounds, Al Hilal sit top of the group with eight points, closely followed by MC Alger on seven. Sundowns are third with six points, while Lupopo remain bottom with four, leaving all four teams mathematically in contention for the top two spots. The combination of Al Hilal’s loss in Algiers and Sundowns’ failure to secure victory against Lupopo has set up a high-stakes finale, placing former favourites Sundowns at real risk of a shock early exit. Make-or-break Matchday 6 With just one round remaining, Group C is finely balanced and promises a tense finish. Sundowns will host MC Alger at Loftus Versfeld in a must-win encounter for both sides. A victory would guarantee qualification for either team, while a draw could still favour MC Alger depending on the result elsewhere. The fixture also carries added intrigue, with MC Alger coached by South African tactician Rulani Mokwena, who will be keen to eliminate his former club. Al Hilal, meanwhile, will face Lupopo in Rwanda knowing that a win or a draw will secure their place in the quarterfinals. Lupopo, though outsiders, remain dangerous: victory would see the Congolese side leap into the top two and seal qualification. MC Alger are still enjoying the momentum from their hard-fought victory over Al Hilal, a result Mokwena described as vital to their campaign. “What the win does is keep qualification in our own hands,” Mokwena said. “We targeted 10 points, and now we still have a chance to reach that with one game left.” Pressure mounts on Sundowns Sundowns’ recent struggles—draws against Lupopo and Al Hilal, plus a 2–1 loss to Al Hilal in Kigali—have increased pressure on head coach Miguel Cardoso. Failure to reach the quarterfinals could reportedly cost the Portuguese tactician his job, with former coach Pitso Mosimane already being mentioned as a possible replacement. Despite the mounting scrutiny, Cardoso remains confident. “The group is balanced and everything will be decided on the final day,” he said. “Everyone still has a chance. We must be disciplined and ready to secure the win.” Al Hilal coach Laurențiu Reghecampf echoed similar sentiments, stressing the importance of composure in the final fixture. “All teams still have a chance,” he said. “We must treat the last game properly, be practical and make sure we secure the points we need.” As Group C heads into a decisive final round, margins are razor-thin, pressure is immense, and only the strongest will survive the scramble for the CAF Champions League quarterfinals.
