We didn’t get knocked out today – Rulani Mokwena reflects on MC Alger’s CAF exit

For Rulani Mokwena, elimination from the CAF Champions League did not arrive with the final whistle at Loftus Versfeld. 

In his eyes, the damage had already been done weeks earlier, scattered across Rwanda, Congo and Algiers, long before Mamelodi Sundowns landed the decisive blow. Colombian striker Bryan Leon scored a goal in each half to send Sundowns second in the group standings with Alger going in the opposite direction. 

“We didn’t get knocked out today,” Mokwena said, his tone measured but resolute, pushing back against the idea that Sundowns were the executioners of MC Alger’s continental journey. 

Instead, he painted a picture of a campaign slowly leaking away through moments that CAF football is notorious for punishing.

He pointed first to Rwanda, where away resilience briefly surfaced before being undone late against group winners Al Hilal. A point on the road, Mokwena argued, is currency in this competition — but only if you protect it. 

“A point away from home in this competition is very important,” he explained, 

Home soil offered no refuge either. Against Sundowns in Algiers, MC Alger created enough chances to win, but settled for a draw when three points were within reach. 

In Mokwena’s assessment, that single failure — not converting dominance into victory — tilted the entire group. 

“In this competition it’s important to win your home matches,” he said.

Congo followed a similar script against the bottom of the table St. Lupopo Eloi. Another late concession, this time from the penalty spot, further eroded MC Alger’s control of their own destiny. By the time they returned to Pretoria needing a result, Mokwena felt the campaign had already been compromised.

 “I don’t think this game is the one that got us knocked out,” he insisted. 

Yet, the match will be remembered not only for footballing details, but for the volatile scenes on the touchline. When Sundowns scored their second goal, celebrations spilled beyond the technical area, triggering confrontation between benches. 

Mokwena did not shy away from the incident, choosing instead to confront it head-on.

“If Rulani has walked across to the opposition technical area, people would’ve made a hullabaloo about it,” he said, arguing that the laws of the game leave no room for selective outrage. 

He described the act as a clear violation of CAF and FIFA regulations, insisting the focus should remain on the individual who crossed that line.

“Questions for that type of behaviour should be posed to the person that did it,” Mokwena added,  “Today you cannot say Rulani was involved in the handbags, it’s impossible.”

In defeat, Mokwena chose reflection over resentment. His words framed MC Alger’s exit as a lesson in CAF survival — where moments, not matches, decide who advances and who is left to replay the season in their heads.