Mamelodi Sundowns suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Ukrainian giants Dynamo Kyiv during their pre-season friendly at the Sportstadion Wörgl on Wednesday evening.
This match followed their 2-1 loss to SV Sandhausen the day before the previous, and the Brazilians fielded a significantly altered lineup against Dynamo Kyiv, who played with a full-strength squad.
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The South African side struggled to display their usual fluid passing and game rhythm, a consequence of limited game time and training.
For several returning Bafana Bafana players, this was their first match since the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Zimbabwe last month.
Dynamo Kyiv’s Bamba Diallo capitalized on Sundowns’ sluggish start, scoring the only goal of the match just over 20 minutes in, slipping the ball past goalkeeper Jody February.
Despite the loss, Sundowns showed signs of promise, especially in the second half.
They created several scoring opportunities, with the best chance falling to young talent Kutlwano Letlhaku, who narrowly missed the target.
Dynamo Kyiv also had multiple chances on the counter-attack as Sundowns pushed forward in search of an equalizer.
However, Sundowns’ defence, led by February, managed to hold firm, preventing further goals.Sundowns’ coach gave much-needed playing time to promising players like Siyabonga Mabena nd Kobamelo Kodisang.
Notably, the team appeared to be playing with more width, suggesting a potential tactical shift from the Rulani Mokwena era.
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Overall, while Sundowns may not have secured a victory, the experience and minutes gained by the players in these pre-season matches will be invaluable as they prepare for the upcoming season.
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