After the 3-1 defeat to USM Alger in the CAF Super Cup final, goalkeeper and captain Ronwen Williams refuses to look for scapegoats and calls on Sundowns fans to stand together.
Loftus Versfeld Stadium saw Sundowns go down 3-1 to USM Alger on Sunday in the CAF Super Cup final. Ronwen Williams, goalkeeper and captain of the South African club, addressed the supporters after the defeat.
His words, reported by TimesLIVE, come at a tricky time. Before this setback, Sundowns were eliminated in the CAF Champions League preliminaries, where they failed to defend their title.
No one to point the finger at
The South African international goalkeeper’s message is a unifying one. “There’s no point pointing fingers now; we need each other. It won’t help anyone, and I would urge the Masandawana, as hard as it is, to stay united, to be there for the boys and to support us,” he said, according to TimesLIVE.
The captain acknowledges the pain of defeat without softening it. “It’s hard. This one is going to hurt for a very long time. It’s disappointing… [but] we have to reflect as a team on what worked, and we need to get back to that,” he told the South African outlet.
Williams stresses that no one within the team should be blamed. He asks the supporters to stay behind them and to be there for the players despite the difficulty.
A season to bounce back
Two setbacks in a short space of time: the Champions League preliminary exit, which ended their defence of the continental title, then the Super Cup final against the Algerians.
Williams points out that other trophies are still up for grabs this season. An argument that invites everyone to look forward rather than dwell on Sunday night.
The captain’s message is aimed as much at the stands as at his teammates, whom he asks to reflect together on what worked.
On to the CAF Awards
After the Super Cup, Ronwen Williams will be doubly mentioned at the 2026 CAF Awards on 2 December in Lagos: for the Goalkeeper of the Year title and for Player of the Year, according to Goal.com. The goalkeeper features on the South African shortlists alongside Teboho Mokoena and Khuliso Mudau.
None of these nominations prejudges the verdict, which will be known at the ceremony on 2 December in Lagos.