After the 0-0 in Angola, Wiliete SC announced a complaint to CAF and to the Angolan courts, accusing Sundowns assistant coach Steve Komphela of assaulting their coach Beto Bianchi. Sundowns have apologised.
The first leg of the CAF Champions League second preliminary round between Wiliete Sport Clube de Benguela and Mamelodi Sundowns ended in a goalless draw, 0-0, at the Estádio Nacional de Tundavala in Lubango. Then it turned ugly: after the final whistle, Wiliete’s Spanish-Brazilian coach Beto Bianchi was physically assaulted as he made his way to the press conference room, according to KickOff.
According to the Angolan club’s vice-president, Vitorino Lunga Vicele, Beto Bianchi was struck in a sensitive area, collapsed and only came round after 50 minutes of treatment by emergency medics. According to The South African, Sundowns assistant coach Steve Komphela is directly accused of landing the blow.
A blow in a sensitive area
Tensions had surfaced well before. A verbal altercation broke out between the two benches during the match, before calming down temporarily at half-time, according to KickOff. Beto Bianchi was then rushed to a local hospital, according to Dailysports, and was unable to appear before the media.
Steve Komphela is therefore implicated by The South African, while the Mamelodi Sundowns management have apologised, both verbally and in writing, following the incident, according to KickOff. The CAF-appointed match commissioner, for his part, formally recorded the altercation and the violence in his official report.
Wiliete are not letting it lie
The Angolan club have decided to take the matter to the judicial and institutional authorities. “It’s a very sad scene that has no place in football. It’s something that should not happen, especially when we are talking about two professional teams. So we are going to lodge a complaint with the competent CAF bodies and with the Angolan courts,” Vitorino Lunga Vicele told KickOff.
CAF has not yet announced any sanction. The verdict of its disciplinary committee is expected this week, and it will determine whether the Sundowns assistant coach faces action.
Sundowns already missing key men
On the pitch, Sundowns lost their international midfielder Teboho Mokoena to injury in this first leg, and were already without Ronwen Williams, according to Townpress Newspaper. Two major absences before the second leg of the second preliminary round, scheduled for 24 October 2026 in Pretoria.
Miguel Cardoso, Sundowns’ head coach, will have to cope with those absences and with this disciplinary case.