In a night of stunning twists, Egypt’s Pyramids FC made history by storming into their first-ever CAF Champions League final with a dramatic 3-2 win over South Africa’s Orlando Pirates at Cairo’s Air Defense Stadium, setting up a titanic clash with Mamelodi Sundowns. On the flip side, defending champions Al Ahly saw their dreams shattered in brutal fashion at Cairo International Stadium, as a heartbreaking late own goal by Yasser Ibrahim gifted Sundowns a 1-1 draw and a cruel exit on the away-goal rule.
Al Ahly 1-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
Ahly’s nightmare continued as the result extended their winless curse against the South Africans to eight straight matches — their worst collapse ever against a continental rival.
The Egyptian giants stepped onto the pitch determined to capitalize on home advantage and a roaring crowd, following a goalless first-leg stalemate in Pretoria. A win would have kept their dream alive for a record-extending 13th continental title.
Swiss coach Marcel Koller stuck with the same starting XI and defensive 5-4-1 formation from the first leg, focusing on shutting down Sundowns’ rapid transitions while banking on counterattacks to strike back.
Sundowns threatened early, but Tashreeq Matthews missed a golden chance in the sixth minute. Ahly responded with intensity, and after Nejc Gradisar’s miss, Taher opened the scoring with a thunderous shot following a swift counterattack led by Emam Ashour. Ashour nearly added a second before halftime, as Ahly took a deserved 1-0 lead into the break, while Sundowns struggled to break down the hosts’ organized defense.
After halftime, Sundowns intensified their pressure but were repeatedly denied by Ahly’s disciplined backline and a sharp performance from goalkeeper Ahmed El-Shennawy. Controversy erupted when the referee waved off a Sundowns penalty appeal after a VAR review. In a heartbreaking twist for Ahly, a last-minute scrambled cross deflected off Yasser Ibrahim for an own goal, sending Sundowns through on away goals to their first CAF Champions League final since 2016, while Ahly’s late substitutes failed to turn the tide.
Pyramids Make History: Dramatic Victory Sends Them to First-Ever CAF Champions League Final!
Egypt’s Pyramids FC made history by reaching their first-ever CAF Champions League final after a thrilling 3-2 win over South Africa’s Orlando Pirates at Cairo’s Air Defense Stadium on Friday. The Egyptian side capitalized on home advantage and showed resilience to edge a tense second leg, sending their fans into celebration.
With this landmark victory, Pyramids FC now advance to face South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns in the final. The achievement marks a major milestone for the club, signaling their arrival among Africa’s football elite.
