Cairo — Egypt’s Pyramids claimed a deserved 2-1 victory over Mamelodi Sundowns for a 3-2 aggregate success and a first African Champions League title after the second leg of this year’s final at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo on Sunday.
After the first leg in Pretoria finished 1-1, Fiston Mayele gave Pyramids the lead on 23 minutes when he profited from a Sundowns defensive error, before Ahmed Samy doubled the advantage on 56 minutes with a header from a free-kick.
Sundowns pulled a goal back through Iqraam Rayners with 15 minutes remaining and one more would have given them victory in the tie on the away goals rule, but Pyramids held firm despite heavy pressure from the visitors.
Pyramids are the fourth Egyptian side to lift the Champions League trophy after record 12-time winners Al Ahly, Zamalek and Ismaily, while 2016 champions Sundowns head to this month’s Club World Cup in the US on a low note.
Sundowns had been favourites for the title with their vast experience of playing in African club competition, against a Pyramids side appearing for only the second time in the Champions League.
It is more misery for their Portuguese coach Miguel Cardoso, who also lost last year’s final when in charge of Esperance as they were beaten by Ahly.
Pyramids took the lead when Sundowns defender Grant Kekana could only steer a cross into the path of Mayele, who took his shot first time and drilled the ball low into the far corner of the net.
Sundowns winger Tashreeq Matthews found himself one-on-one with Pyramids goalkeeper Ahmed Al Shenawy in the first half, but the latter stuck out a boot to deflect the shot away from goal.
The hosts got their second goal from a simple free-kick from the right by Mohamed Chibi that was headed unchallenged into the net by Samy.
Teboho Mokoena’s 30-yard free-kick forced a good save from Al Shenawy, before the visitors pulled a goal back to provide some hope to their small travelling support.
Rayners volleyed into the net from 12 yards via a deflection as Pyramids failed to clear a cross into the box.
It was all Sundowns after that as they tried in vain to level the score, but their hosts were left to jubilantly celebrate an unexpected success at the final whistle.
Reuters
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