Pyramids secure historic CAF Champions League win
CAIRO, June 2, (Agencies): The African Champions League soccer title stayed in Egypt with Pyramids winning the final Sunday, just seven years after the club was renamed and moved to Cairo.
The president of African soccer's governing body, Patrice Motsepe, presented the trophy after watching the South African club he owns, Mamelodi Sundowns, lose the second leg in Cairo 2-1, giving Pyramids a 3-2 aggregate win.
Pyramids took a first-half lead with Congo forward Fiston Mayele's competition-best ninth goal. Defender Ahmed Samy added a second in the 56th minute for the team coached by Krunoslav Jurčić from Croatia.
Iqraam Rayners cut the lead in the 75th, and Pyramids survived pressure during 10 minutes of stoppage time added.
Egypt now holds a record 19 African club titles, won by four different teams. Al Ahly has 12, including the past two competitions, Zamalek has five, and Ismaily has one.
The Pyramids were rebranded and brought to the Egyptian capital in 2018 by Saudi sports executive Turki Al-Sheikh, who is now a key official in boxing. One year later, the big-spending club's new owner was Salem Al-Shamsi, a businessman from the United Arab Emirates, who had been its vice president.
Pyramids' first African title earned a place at FIFA's Club World Cup in 2029.
Sundowns, which won its only African title in 2016, qualified to play in the United States next month in the first 32-team edition of the FIFA tournament.
The South African club was drawn in a group to play Ulsan in Orlando on June 17, then Borussia Dortmund in Cincinnati, and Fluminense in Miami.
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi congratulated Pyramids FC in a post on social media, praising the club's determination and the team's historic accomplishment.
'This victory embodies the spirit of determination and perseverance that has always distinguished Egyptian sports,' President El-Sisi said. 'It confirms our clubs' ability to compete strongly on the continental and international stage.'
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