Mamelodi Sundowns have reached their primary Caf Champions League objective.
For the fourth time in five years they will play in the knockout stages of the competition they won in 2016 and enhance their reputation as one of the top teams in Africa.
What is left for them in their remaining two matches against Wydad Casablanca at home and away to Petro de Luanda this month is to remain top of Group C.
Unbeaten at home
The Brazilians have 10 points from four matches and increased their unbeaten home record in this competition to 17 matches.
Alger's hopes of getting out of the group is hanging by a thread as defeat has left them with only two points from four matches and they are still looking for their first win.
Sundowns must be relieved that Mohamed Meftah hit the upright from the penalty spot four minutes from time.
Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane welcomed back influential midfielder Gaston Sirino who missed the last two games against AmaZulu and Bidvest Wits with a hamstring injury.
Return after injury
Key defender Ricardo Nascimento returned to the bench after a long injury lay-off that has seen him miss the start of the campaign.
The Brazilians now shift their attention to the PSL where they have two marquee matches this week.
They have a date with resurgent Orlando Pirates under coach Jozef Zinnbauer at Orlando Stadium on Wednesday, but they will be without suspended Themba Zwane.
The Brazilians now shift their attention to the PSL where they have two marquee matches this week
Three days later Sundowns have the Tshwane derby against SuperSport United at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville where Mosimane will be up against his former student Kaitano Tembo.
Sundowns created better chances and dominated possession but their decision-making was poor.
Andile Jali, Hlompho Kekana and Sirino were mostly in the forefront of some of their attacks but Thapelo Morena, Vilakazi and Zwane could not find the target.
Vilakazi nearly opened the scoring after 22 minutes but his close-range effort was parried to safety by Alger goalkeeper Mohamed Zemmamouche.
The visitors struggled to assert themselves during the opening exchanges and relied on counterattacks with their tall strikers Aimen Mahious and Redouane Chefiri.
On the half-hour mark, Sundowns again breached the Alger defence with a swift attack but Zemmamouche was at his best at the near post to deny Zwane.
After a period of sustained pressure, Sundowns finally got the opening goal that was thumped home by winger Morena after he pounced on a loose ball in the box.
Alger equalised on the stroke of halftime through a header from striker Mahious, who capitalised on sloppy defending from Sundowns.
But the Brazilians retook the lead immediately through Vilakazi to make sure that Sundowns go to the break with a slender lead which they held on to for the rest of the second half.
USM Alger(1) 1
Mamelodi Sundowns(2) 2
Scorers: USM Algere - Aimen Mahious (44 mins)
Scorers: Sundowns - Thapelo Morena, (35m), Sibusiso Vilakazi (45+1m, pen)
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