CAF Champions League
Pyramids hope for ‘miracle’ of support in African Champions League final
Egypt’s Pyramids hope to rally local support for Sunday’s African Champions League final as they face the possibility of hosting the second leg in a near-empty stadium in Cairo against South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns.
Coach Krunoslav Jurcic said it would be a “miracle” if his side could attract support from a city whose citizens overwhelmingly back one of the two traditional Cairo giants — Al Ahly or Zamalek.
Pyramids have emerged from their shadow to contest a first Champions League final and battled to a 1-1 draw away in Pretoria in the first leg.
“We are expecting tomorrow a lot of people in the stadium. This will be a miracle,” Jurcic told a press conference on Saturday at the June 30 Stadium on the outskirts of the Egyptian capital.
“Lately, a lot of people have been speaking positively about Pyramids. They are supporters of other clubs in Egypt, but they will come to watch because Pyramids is an Egyptian club.
“Tomorrow, all of Egypt will be with Pyramids, and this is our big success, this is the miracle for us,” the Croatian coach said.
They had only a few thousand in the stands when they triumphed in a high-tempo semi-final against another South Africa club Orlando Pirates last month.
Pyramids moved to Cairo in 2018 and changed their name under new Saudi owners. They have since been taken over by investors from the United Arab Emirates but failed to attract much support despite challenging the traditional duopoly in recent years.
But Jurcic made it clear they were still treated as outsiders as he again criticised Egypt’s football association, which made them play a league game on Wednesday.
“Where else in the world is a club forced to play a local match a few days before they compete in a Champions League final?,” he said.
Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso, however, said he did not think it would have any effect on Pyramids’ chances in the final.
“They rested most of their key players on Wednesday,” he said of Pyramids’ 5-1 win over Ceramica Cleopatra in their last league fixture of the season.
Cardoso also did not think a small crowd would hinder their hosts.
“They are used to playing without fans and they still fight for their championship and got to the Champions League final. It’s not because of that that they didn’t perform,” Cardoso added.
-Reuters
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- 1. Sundowns are in their third CAF Champions League final (2001, 2016, 2024).
- 2. South African Record: First South African club to reach three finals, surpassing Orlando Pirates (2).
- 3. Sundowns hosted the first leg in all three finals. In 2001, they drew 1-1 at home and lost 2-0 away to Al Ahly.
- 4. Sundowns beat Zamalek 3-0 at home, lost 1-0 away, and won 3-1 on aggregate.
- 5. Sundowns have never scored in an away leg of a Champions League final, conceding five in total.
- 6. The current final marks the second time Sundowns led at home and failed to win (also in 2001).
- 7. A defeat would make Sundowns the first South African side to lose two finals.
- 8. Sundowns are unbeaten in their last 10 matches vs Egyptian opposition (4wins and 6 draws).
- 9. Sundowns are unbeaten in their last 4 visits to Egypt (2 wins and 2 draws).
- 10. A win would make Sundowns the first team since Al Ahly (2012) to win the title after failing to win the home leg.
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Egypt’s Pyramids equalised four minutes into stoppage time to snatch a 1-1 draw at Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in the first leg of the African Champions League final on Saturday.
With the away goals rule still applying in African club competition, the momentum now swings the way of the Cairo club after Walid El Karti deservedly headed home at the back post after a strong finish to the game at Loftus Versfeld.
Sundowns had taken the lead through Brazilian midfielder Lucas Ribeiro in the 54th minute with a curling left-footed shot after a deflected clearance fell perfectly for him.
The South African club were strong favourites going into the tie against the Egyptian side, who are competing in the Champions League for only a second time.
But the hosts were surprised by the strong pressing and running of the visitors, who defied the high altitude to emerge the better of the two sides.
Sundowns, whose only previous Champions League success came in 2016, had a first-half chance when Iqraam Rayners’ effort was saved by Ahmed El Shenawy but the Egyptians always looked lively on the counter and forced several errors from the home defence.
However, they had to wait until virtually the last touch of the game as a cross from Mohamed Hamdy on the left was allowed to bounce in the box and went through for El Karti to finish.
The return leg at Cairo’s Air Defence Stadium is next Sunday, June 1.
-Reuters
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According to Egyptian publication, Ahram, Pyramids FC’s Nigerian winger Sodiq Awujoola has been excluded from the squad that will travel to South Africa ahead of the anticipated game against Mamelodi Sundowns due to injury.
The Egyptian club will be hosted by their South African counterparts in the first leg of the CAF Champions League final on Saturday.
The return match will be played in Cairo on 1 June.
Pyramids’ Croatian coach Krunoslav Jurcic chose a 25-man squad for the trip to South African; excluding Awujoola due to a knee injury.
“Awujoola underwent a scan after feeling some pains in his knee during Tuesday’s training session. He will remain in Cairo to undergo a rehabilitation program to be ready for the return match,” Pyramids FC doctor was quoted as saying by the Club’s official website.
The rising Egyptian powerhouse, Pyramids FC, reached the final for the first time in their history after a 3-2 on aggregate victory over South Africa’s Orlando Pirates in the semi-final.
Pyramids FC’s travelling squad:
Goalkeeper: Ahmed El Shenawy, Sherif Ekramy, Youssef Nader, Ahmed Mayhoub
Defenders: Ali Gabr, Ahmed Samy, Mohamed Hamdi, Osama Galal, Mohamed Chibi, Tarek Alaa, Mohamed Hamdy, Karim Hafez, Ahmed Tawfik
Midfielders: Mahmoud Dunga, Mohanad Lasheen, Blati Touré, Walid El Karti, Ahmed Atef, Ramadan Sobhi, Mostafa Fathi, Abdelrahman Magdi, Youssef Obama
Forwards: Fiston Mayele, Marwan Hamdi, Dodo Elgabas
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