It was a situation that shook Mamelodi Sundowns to its foundations, and coach Miguel Cardoso wants a powerful response.
The defending champions suffered the embarrassment of being eliminated from the Champions League (1-1 on away goals rule) by Wiliete SC of Angola at the preliminary stage on Friday at home.
This is the first time in about 12 years that Sundowns failed to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League.
Cardoso described the feeling as a punch in the face but said they must wipe their bloodied noses because there was a lot to play for this season, even though they missed their primary target.
"It's a big knockout this one, it's a big punch in our faces but what will make us stronger is how we are going to react because there are so many more things to play for," he said.
Their first post-champions-league assignment is the last stage of the Carling Knockout Cup against Marumo Gallants at Loftus in Pretoria on Tuesday, where they must return to winning ways.
They still have the Betway Premiership, CAF Super Cup against USM Alger of Algeria next month, Fifa Challenger Cup in Doha in December and Nedbank Cup to play for.
As he asked his charges to bounce back, Cardoso called for unity within the walls of their training base at Chloorkop.
"What is going to speak for Sundowns is the greatness that will come after this defeat.
"We have a strong group of people and that's the proof of the character that we have.
"We must show that proof of character because it is going to speak for us, not this moment of defeat.
"We have many beautiful things to do ahead of us but we need to stay united, committed to each other and be strong inside the doors of Chloorkop because from now on there is going be fire on us.
"How we are going to be immune to that is exactly what will allow us to win more in the future.
"So, we just need to understand that and the message is clear for all of us, stay strong.
"Don't be breached from inside. We are a club that usually reacts very strongly and more committed.
"We were not really weak against Wiliete, but we were not strong enough.
"And football penalises you when you are not strong enough and we had our moments to finish the game."
While Sundowns are smarting from this defeat, Orlando Pirates will be SA's representatives in the Champions League group stage this season after they demolished Namibian side African Stars 5-0 on aggregate.
Coach Abdeslam Ouaddou is motivated by the challenge of coaching at this stage of the competition for the first time.
"It is the first time for me to coach in the group stages of the Champions League and it is a big challenge for me.
"I didn't manage to go through to the group stage last season."
Ouaddou praised his players for a professional approach against African Stars where they scored five goals and kept a clean sheet.
"We prepared well for this second leg and credit must go to the boys.
"They did well in the first leg in Botswana where we scored the important away goal.
"I told them we must score more goals to control the game and that's what they did."
Kaizer Chiefs say they back coach Fernando da Cruz despite elimination from the Confederation Cup after they lost 3-2 on penalties to Zambian side Red Arrows in Durban.
Pirates return to action against Milford FC at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto and Chiefs against TS Galaxy at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg in the Carling Knockout, last 16 on Tuesday night.
