Pyramids beat Sundowns to win first-ever CAF Champions League title

Pyramids FC won their first TotalEnergies CAF Champions League title. They defeated Mamelodi Sundowns 2-1 in the second leg final. The match took place at the 30 June Air Defence Stadium in Cairo.

The first leg ended in a 1-1 draw in Pretoria. With this win, Pyramids secured a 3-2 aggregate victory. They became the fourth Egyptian club to win this prestigious competition. They join Al Ahly, Zamalek, and Ismaily in this achievement.

Pyramids started strong, energizing their home crowd. Fiston Mayele scored the first goal in the 23rd minute. He fired a low shot into the far corner after a clever play on the right.

This goal was Mayele's ninth in the tournament. It highlighted his importance to Pyramids' success.

The team doubled their lead early in the second half. Ahmed Samy headed home from a Mohamed Chibi cross in the 56th minute. This goal sent fans into a frenzy.

Despite being two goals down, Sundowns fought back. Iqraam Rayners scored for them in the 75th minute with a close-range finish. This set up an exciting finish to the match.

Sundowns pushed hard for another goal late in the game. Peter Shalulile and Lebo Mothiba both had shots blocked during added time. The match included ten minutes of stoppage time.

Pyramids held on to their lead thanks to goalkeeper Ahmed El Shenawy's heroics and solid defense.

This victory marks Pyramids' first continental trophy since their founding ten years ago. Egypt has now held onto African football's crown for three consecutive years. Al Ahly won titles in 2023 and 2024 before Pyramids' triumph.

For Sundowns, it was a disappointing night as they sought their second CAF title. They aimed to be the first team since Al Ahly in 2012 to win without a home-leg advantage.

Instead, Sundowns faced their second defeat in a Champions League final, following their loss to Al Ahly in 2001.