Mamelodi Sundowns missed out on the CAF Champions League title after losing 2-1 to Pyramids in the second leg of the final on Sunday night.
CAF Champions League
Result: Pyramids FC 2-1 Mamelodi Sundowns (3-1 on aggregate)
Date: 01 June 2025
Venue: 30 June Air Defence Stadium
Brazilians coach Miguel Cardoso made just one change from the first leg as Jayden Adams replaced Arthur Sales to bolster the midfield as veteran attacker Themba Zwane kept his spot on the bench.
Pyramids came into the clash with the advantage of the away goal, but there was a high tempo to the first half as both sides showed no desire of wanting to sit back early on.
Scroll through the gallery above to see the action in Cairo.
However, it was the home side who broke the deadlock on 24 minutes as Fiston Mayele bagged his ninth goal of the competition by latching onto a poor clearance from Grant Kekana before rifling the ball into the far corner.
Sundowns were finding it tough to get their attacking game going in the first period while they also had to deal with the lively Mayele stretching their defence with his runs in behind.
That proved to be the trend for the remainder of the first half until Sundowns carved out a big chance in first-half stoppage time when Lucas Costa Ribeiro sent Tashreeq Matthews through on goal, but the latter fired straight at goalkeeper Ahmed El Shenawy.
Cardoso made a substitution at the start of the second half, as Divine Lunga was introduced in place of Aubrey Modiba, who was on a yellow card.
However Sundowns were made to rue the Matthews miss after Pyramids doubled their lead ten minutes into the second period as Ramadan Sobhi's free-kick found Ahmed Samy, who sent a powerful header past Williams.
The visitors responded with three more changes after the hour mark as Adams, Mosa Lebusa, and Mathews made way for Sales, Peter Shalulile and Thapelo Moreno.
Sundowns did pull a goal back with 15 minutes left on the clock when Iqraam Rayners pounced on a loose ball in the box and volleyed home via a deflection, meaning they only needed one more goal to move ahead on the away goals rule.
The Brazilians threw bodies forward in search of the important second goal, with Shalulile going closest after seeing his close-rang strike saved by El Shenawy as Pyramids held out to claim the win and their first-ever Champions League title.
Here's how they lined up:
Pyramids: El Shenawy, Samy, Marie, Chibi, Hamdy, Lashin, Toure, El Karty, Atef, Sobhi, Mayele
Subs: Ekramy, Gabr, Tawfik, Hafez, Magdy, Adel, Obama, Hamdy
Mamelodi Sundowns: Williams, Lebusa, Kekana, Mudau, Modiba, Mokoena, Allende, Adams, Ribeiro, Matthews, Rayners.
Subs: Onyango, Sales, Aubaas, Zwane, Morena, Lunga, Mvala, Mothiba, Shalulile
