St Eloi Lupopo Add Rulani Mokwena to List of Casualties after Inflicting Pain on Orlando Pirates
Congolese club St Eloi Lupopo's giant killing ways have not stopped after they added Rulani Mokwena's MC Alger to their list of casualties this season.
The Lubumbashi-based side have made their home venue a fortress, having thrashed South African giants Orlando Pirates 3-0 at home before eliminating them on post match penalties away in the second preliminary round last October.
On Sunday, Lupopo stunned the Algerian champions, beating them 1-0 in a CAF Champion League tie, when Michael Kimputu scored a penalty deep into stoppage time in Lubumbashi.
MC Alger Bottom of Tough Group
🎞️ Match Highlights:
— TotalEnergies CAFCL & CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) January 25, 2026
Late drama at home as FC Saint Éloi Lupopo beat MC Alger 1-0 with a +90’ penalty. #TotalEnergiesCAFCL pic.twitter.com/fmzU9Qwn6y
The defeat added pressure on Mokwena as his side are left with just one point from three matches with three games to go and facing group stage elimination from the Champions League.
In a group that also has Mokwena's former side Mamelodi Sundowns, Sudanese giants Al-Hilal, it's the aforementioned duo top on five points each, with Lupopo on four and MC Alger are left in a position where they must win all matches or at least two to make it to the quarter-final.
That is a hard act given the quality of Sundowns and Al-Hilal who they drew 0-0 and lost 2-1 to respectively.
MC Alger will clash with Lupopo in the second leg in Algiers on Friday on January 30 and must win to revive their hopes if they want to avoid group stage elimination.