Pyramids FC etched their name into African football history on Sunday night after securing their maiden CAF Champions League title with a 2-1 win over South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns in the second leg of the final at the 30 June Air Defence Stadium in Cairo.
Having drawn 1-1 in the first leg in Pretoria, the Egyptian side sealed a 3-2 aggregate victory to become only the fourth club from Egypt to win the continent’s most prestigious club competition, joining giants Al Ahly, Zamalek, and Ismaily.
Pyramids took control of the match early on, with Congolese striker Fiston Mayele opening the scoring in the 23rd minute. The former Young Africans forward finished calmly into the far corner, registering his ninth goal of the tournament, a tally that puts him among the top scorers.
The Cairo club doubled their advantage in the 56th minute through defender Ahmed Samy, who rose to meet a pinpoint cross from Mohamed Chibi, heading home to send the home crowd into raptures.
Sundowns refused to go down without a fight. In the 75th minute, forward Iqraam Rayners latched onto a through-ball to pull one back for the visitors, making it 2-1 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate.
The final 15 minutes were tense, with Sundowns piling on the pressure in search of an equaliser. However, Pyramids’ defence, led by veteran goalkeeper Ahmed El Shenawy, stood firm to preserve their lead and secure the title.
Pyramids’ triumph marks a third consecutive CAF Champions League title for Egypt, following Al Ahly’s victories in 2023 and 2024. It also cements Pyramids’ rise as a new power in African football, just a few years after their transformation into a competitive force both domestically and on the continent.
For Mamelodi Sundowns, it was another painful near-miss in the final — their second defeat at this stage, 24 years after they were beaten by Al Ahly in 2001.
Pyramids will now represent Africa at the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup, continuing their fairytale journey and announcing themselves as a new giant in the African game.
