Pyramids FC snatched a dramatic 1-1 draw against Mamelodi Sundowns in the CAF Champions League final first-leg at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Lucas Ribeiro had put the Tshwane giants ahead early in the second-half, but Walid El Karti’s 94th-minute equaliser denied Sundowns a first-leg lead.
From the previous match’s line-up, Cardoso opted for two changes, bringing in Grant Kekana and Tashreeq Matthews, replacing Malibongwe Khoza and Neo Maema.
Pyramids also did the same, making two changes, introducing Mohanad Lashin and Fiston Mayele in place of Abdelrahman Magdi and Marwan Hamdi.
The match kicked off with a bit of high intensity as both teams, particularly Sundowns, aggressively sought an early goal.
Masandawana came close in the 7th minute when Mudau’s strong six-yard cross dangerously cut across the opponents’ goalmouth, but no one connected with it before Pyramids’ goalkeeper Ahmed Al Shenawy secured the ball.
Just two minutes later, in the 9th minute, Al Shenawy produced a spectacular save, denying Iqraam Rayners’ thunderous shot that originated from a precise through pass by Khuliso Mudau.
Sundowns, however, almost paid a heavy price in the 16th minute; after gifting possession to their opponents, Mayele’s close-range attempt narrowly missed the posts.
The visitors continued to employ an aggressive high press, effectively denying Sundowns the space they typically need to build play.
This disrupted Masandawana’s usual rhythm, making it difficult for them to maintain ball possession and create their scoring opportunities.
The score was 0-0 at halftime.
The two coaches made no changes at the start of the second-half, returning with the same teams that started the match.
Sundowns patiently built their attacks from the back, meticulously searching for openings to exploit.
Their persistence paid off in the 54th minute when Lucas Ribeiro calmly slotted the ball home, capitalising on a rebound after Aubrey Modiba’s initial shot was blocked.
The Egyptian side posed a significant threat from set-pieces, leveraging their taller players who consistently gained the aerial advantage to win the ball first.
In the 79th minute, looking to extend their lead, Sundowns made two substitutions, bringing on Peter Shalulile and Neo Maema for Rayners and Arthur Sales.
The away side attempted multiple times to come back as they sought an equaliser. They eventually found the back of the net in the 94th minute via Walid El Karti.
The return tie will take place on Sunday, 1 June at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo.
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