Pyramids FC of Egypt made history on Sunday night, lifting their first-ever CAF Champions League trophy after defeating South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns 2-1 in the second leg of the final at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo.
The win secured a 3-2 aggregate triumph for Pyramids, who were competing in only their second appearance in Africa’s premier club competition. The first leg had ended in a 1-1 draw in Pretoria last weekend.
Goals from Fiston Mayele in the 23rd minute and Ahmed Samy in the 56th were enough to see off a late surge by Sundowns, who pulled one back through Iqraam Rayners in the 75th minute but couldn’t find the equalizer that would have given them the title on away goals.
Despite typically modest fan attendance, Pyramids’ call for support paid off with around 15,000 fans filling the 30,000-seater stadium to witness the historic night.
Coach Krunoslav Jurcic made a bold decision by starting Ramadan Sobhi in place of Ibrahim Adel, the team’s top scorer en route to the final. The change proved effective, as Pyramids displayed composure and capitalized on key moments in the game.
Mayele opened the scoring with his ninth goal of the continental campaign, rifling a low shot into the far corner after a poor clearance from Sundowns defender Grant Kekana. That goal sparked intensity into the match, with tensions flaring between players and resulting in bookings for Ahmed Atef and Aubrey Modiba.
Sundowns had a golden chance to equalize in first-half stoppage time, but Tashreeq Matthews saw his effort saved brilliantly by Ahmed El Shenawy’s outstretched leg.
In the second half, Pyramids doubled their lead when Mohamed Chibi’s inviting free-kick was met by a powerful header from Ahmed Samy, scoring his first goal of the tournament and becoming the 19th different Pyramids player to register in this year’s campaign.
Rayners kept the tie alive for Sundowns with a well-taken goal following a defensive lapse, but despite a wave of late pressure, the South Africans couldn’t find a way past El Shenawy again.
The final saw the unveiling of a new CAF Champions League trophy, which was brought pitchside by Nigerian football legend Nwankwo Kanu, adding an extra layer of prestige to the occasion.
Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso, who reached last year’s final with Tunisia’s Esperance, was aiming to become only the second manager to reach back-to-back finals with different clubs. But his side came up short despite dominating possession for large spells.
With this victory, Pyramids join the ranks of Africa’s elite clubs and mark a significant milestone in their rapid rise within Egyptian and continental football.
