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Sundowns concede last-gasp equaliser to Pyramids

football24 May 2025 15:00| © Backpage TXT
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Mamelodi Sundowns conceded a last-gasp equaliser to be held 1-1 by Pyramids FC in the first leg of the CAF Champions League final at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Brazilians appeared on course for a key win when Lucas Ribeiro put them ahead early in the second half, but Walid El Karti struck deep in injury time for the Egyptian visitors, who now hold the upper hand heading into the return game on home soil next weekend.

Sundowns had the first notable attack of the game, with Khuliso Mudau driving forward from deep in his own half to feed Iqraam Rayners, who cut inside from the left and let fly with a powerful drive that brought a fine save out of Pyramids goalkeeper Ahmed Al Shenawy in the 10th minute.

Pyramids then began to find an attacking rhythm and had a great chance to claim the lead in the 16th minute, as Fiston Mayele got in behind the defence, down the left side of the penalty area, but stabbed a low shot wide of the far post.

Three minutes later the Egyptian club threatened again, with Ibrahim Adel seeing a shot saved by Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.

Adel then latched onto the follow-up and squared for Mayele in the middle, but the striker saw his close-range effort deflected over.

Sundowns made an early change, which saw Jayden Adams replace Tashreeq Matthews in midfield in the 37th minute, and they also saw Rayners head wide from a Lucas Ribeiro corner kick shortly thereafter.

Goalless at the break, Sundowns had to wait less than 10 minutes of the second half to break the deadlock.

A flurry of half chances in the Pyramids penalty area saw the ball find its way to Ribeiro, who then whipped home a left-footed shot to put the Brazilians 1-0 up.

As the second half wore on, Sundowns were less willing to send men forward, as they looked to hedge their bets against the threat of an away goal for Pyramids.

Yet the visitors were unable to build any kind of attacking momentum, with Williams only called upon to catch a couple of hopeful crosses into his penalty area.

However, with only seconds of the four minutes of injury time remaining, Pyramids levelled the game: Mohanad Lasheen played an in-swinging cross from the left flank that Sundowns’ defence failed to cut out, allowing Walid El Karti to head home from close range for 1-1.

The return game will be played at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo on 1 June.

Mamelodi Sundowns (0) 1 (Ribeiro 54’)

Pyramids FC (0) 1 (El Karti 90+4’)

Sundowns: Williams, Mudau, Kekana, Lebusa, Modiba, Mokoena, Allende, Matthews (Adams 37’), Ribeiro (Morena 84’), Sales (Maema 79’), Rayners (Shalulile 79’)

Pyramids: Al Shenawy, Chibi, Marei, Samy, M. Hamdi, Toure, Lasheen, Atef (Sobhi 80’), El Karti, Adel (Hafez 89’), Mayele (A. Hamdi 89’)

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