Pyramids win their first Champions League title after defeating Sundowns

Pyramids FC defeated Mamelodi Sundowns 2-1 (3-2 overall) in the second leg of the final, which was contested on Sunday night at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo, to win their first CAF Champions League trophy.

Fiston Mayele and Ahmed Samy gave the Egyptian hosts a 2-0 lead that evening, but Iqraam Rayners’ goal with just over a quarter of an hour of regulation time remaining made the second leg of the final tight and dramatic.

Pyramids eventually held on to win their first continental title, but the Brazilians needed just one more to tie the score at 3-3 overall and win the championship on the away goals rule.

After a cagey first twenty minutes in which the teams traded blows, Pyramids quickly took advantage of a defensive blunder by Sundowns to grab the lead halfway through the first half.

The ball fell perfectly for Fiston Mayele after Grant Kekana’s bad touch on a right-wing cross. The Congolese striker’s first-time effort sailed past goalkeeper Ronwen Williams to give the home team the lead.

Although Sundowns should have tied the score deep in injury time before halftime when Lucas Ribeiro put Tashreeq Matthews on goal, the Brazilian forward was denied by a vital save by Pyramids goalkeeper Ahmed Al Shenawy. Sundowns pushed and probed without any success in attack for the rest of the first half.

After Sundowns substituted Divine Lunga with Aubrey Modiba at the beginning of the second half, Pyramids had the next significant influence on the game, extending their lead in the 56th minute.

An unmarked Ahmed Samy scored with a forceful close-range diving header after Mohamed Chibi played in a cross from a free kick on the right flank.

In response, Sundowns made a triple change at the 64-minute mark, substituting Peter Shalulile, Arthur Sales, and Thapelo Morena for a far more offensive lineup.

Teboho Mokoena nearly equalized in the 68th minute with a brilliant strike straight from a free kick, but Shenawy made another excellent stop to preserve his team leading the match.

Although they had to endure a VAR check because Shalulile appeared to be offside during the build-up but was apparently not involved in the attacking move that resulted in the goal, the South African team pulled one back in the 76th minute when Iqraam Rayners capitalized on a poorly headed clearance and scored via a deflected shot.

Al Shenawy made another superb close-range stop, and if the Namibian had squeezed the ball home, the offside flag would have rightfully ruled out the goal. Shalulile had a fantastic chance to make it 2-2 in the final minutes of regular time, latching onto a fantastic feed from Ribeiro.

Even after ten minutes of injury time, Sundowns continued to apply pressure, but they were unable to score a clear equalizer, thus Pyramids celebrated wildly when the final whistle blew.

Pyramids joins fellow Egyptian teams Al Ahly (12 titles), Zamalek (5), and Ismaily (1) as the fourth Egyptian team to win the Champions League. Additionally, they became the competition’s first-ever victors since Sundowns in 2016.

Pyramids FC (1) 2 (Samy 56′, Mayele 24′)

Rayners 75′, Mamelodi Sundowns (0) 1

Pyramids prevailed 3-2 overall.

Pyramids include: Toure (Gabr 90+2′), Shenawy, Chibi (Tawfik 88′), Marei, Samy, Hamdi, Lasheen, Atef, El Karti, Sobhi (Adel 78′), and Mayele.

Sundowns: Allende, Mokoena, Adams (Sales 64′), Matthews (Shalulile 64′), Ribeiro, Rayners (Mothiba 78′), Williams, Mudau, Kekana, Lebusa (Morena 64′), Modiba (Lunga 46′).