Pyramids Football Club made history in Cairo as they secured their maiden CAF Champions League title with a thrilling 2-1 victory over South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns at the 30 June Air Defence Stadium.
The Egyptian outfit, who completed a 3-2 aggregate triumph following a 1-1 first-leg draw in Pretoria, became the fourth different Egyptian club to lift Africa’s premier club competition – joining the illustrious company of Al Ahly, Zamalek and Ismaily.
It marked the culmination of an extraordinary journey for a club that began life as Al Assiouty Sport in the provincial city of Beni Suef in 2008. Originally formed as Al Assiouty Sport in 2008, the club was transformed when bought and relocated to Cairo by Saudi businessman Turki Al-Sheikh in 2018, before later changing hands to Emirati owner Salem Al Shamsi in 2019.
The hosts started purposefully before a raucous home crowd, with striker Fiston Mayele breaking the deadlock on 23 minutes. The prolific forward, who has been instrumental throughout Pyramids’ continental campaign, unleashed a precise low drive into the far corner following excellent build-up play down the right flank – his ninth goal of the tournament.
Pyramids doubled their advantage 11 minutes into the second half when defender Ahmed Samy powered home a header from Mohamed Chibi’s cross, sending the Cairo faithful into raptures.
Despite the two-goal deficit, Sundowns refused to surrender. The South African champions reduced the arrears with 15 minutes remaining when Iqraam Rayners finished clinically from close range, ensuring a nerve-shredding finale.
Miguel Cardoso’s side threw everything forward in the closing stages, with Peter Shalulile and Lebo Mothiba both seeing efforts blocked during a frantic conclusion that featured 10 minutes of stoppage time. However, Pyramids goalkeeper Ahmed El Shenawy produced several crucial saves to preserve his side’s historic triumph.
The victory ensures Egypt maintains its stranglehold on African football for a third consecutive year, following Al Ahly’s back-to-back successes in 2023 and 2024. For Sundowns, it represented bitter disappointment as they fell short in their bid to claim a second continental crown, having previously triumphed in 2016.
The defeat also ended Sundowns’ hopes of becoming the first team since Al Ahly in 2012 to win the Champions League after failing to secure a first-leg advantage at home. Instead, the Brazilians suffered their second final defeat in the competition’s history, 24 years after losing to Al Ahly in 2001.
For Pyramids, the triumph represents the pinnacle of their remarkable transformation from a modest provincial outfit to continental champions in just 17 years – a testament to ambitious ownership and shrewd investment in players and infrastructure.
