Pyramids FC head coach Krunoslav Jurcic has made a passionate plea to Egyptian football fans ahead of Sunday’s CAF Champions League final second leg against South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, urging them to fill the 30 June Stadium in Cairo and cheer the team to victory.
Despite sharing the city with giants Al Ahly and Zamalek — clubs that routinely pack the 73,000-capacity Cairo International Stadium — Pyramids have struggled to build a comparable supporter base since their rise to prominence. But Jurcic believes this weekend presents a unifying moment.
“We are almost alone, but we deserve support. We are representing Egypt,” said the 55-year-old Croatian tactician. “This is a historic opportunity.”
After snatching a dramatic 1-1 draw in Pretoria, thanks to Walid El Karti’s stoppage-time equalizer, Pyramids head into the return leg with a slight edge. Under CAF’s still-active away goals rule, a goalless draw will be enough to crown them African champions for the first time.
The match will be played at the 30 June Stadium, and should it end 1-1, the final will go to penalties. Any score draw beyond that will hand the title to Sundowns, who lifted the trophy in 2016.
Formed in 2008 as Al Assiouty Sport, the club underwent a complete transformation after relocating to Cairo in 2018, rebranding as Pyramids FC and attracting significant Saudi and later Emirati investment. Within a few seasons, they had assembled a formidable squad including Moroccan stars Mohamed Chibi and El Karti, Burkina Faso’s Blati Touré, and DR Congo forward Fiston Mayele.
Their rapid rise in African football is epitomized by this campaign. Just one season after a disappointing group-stage exit in their Champions League debut, Pyramids are now 90 minutes away from glory.
Jurcic, a former Dinamo Zagreb and Al Nassr coach, praised his players for their gritty performance in Pretoria. “They were heroes,” he said. “Sundowns are one of the most experienced teams in Africa, and we matched them.”
For Sundowns, Sunday’s clash is a chance at redemption. The club, owned by CAF president Patrice Motsepe and managed by his son Tlhopie, has been dominant domestically with eight consecutive South African league titles. But continental success has proved elusive in recent years.
Head coach Miguel Cardoso, who lost last year’s final with Esperance to Al Ahly, knows what’s at stake. “The trophy’s destiny is wide open. We must show greater desire. Heroes emerge in difficult times,” the Portuguese coach stated.
The Pretoria side took the lead in the first leg through Brazilian Lucas Ribeiro, only to see it canceled out in the dying seconds. With players like Ribeiro and Chilean Marcelo Allende, they pose a formidable challenge.
Pyramids, who finished second to Al Ahly in the Egyptian Premier League, have rested key players ahead of the showdown. They are also in contention for a domestic double, with a crucial Egypt FA Cup final against Zamalek coming up on June 5. But for now, the focus is clear: conquer Africa and make history.
