Pyramids FC ended the first half of their match against Kenya’s Gor Mahia with a 2-0 lead, in the first leg of the CAF Champions League preliminary round at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi. ⚽🔥🏆

The Egyptian side made a strong start, scoring an early goal before adding a second in the closing moments of the first half, putting themselves in an excellent position to return home with a positive result ahead of the second leg.

Walid El Karti Gives Pyramids the Lead

Walid El Karti opened the scoring for Pyramids in the 5th minute after following up on a shot from teammate Mostafa Fathi and finding the back of the net.

The early goal allowed Pyramids to settle quickly into the match and impose their style on the hosts.

The opening goal also provided the Egyptian side with an important psychological boost as they continued to play with focus and looked for opportunities to increase their advantage.

Mahmoud Saber Doubles the Lead

Pyramids continued attacking and eventually found a second goal shortly before half-time.

In the 45th minute, Mahmoud Saber scored Pyramids’ second goal, giving the Egyptian team a 2-0 lead at the break.

The goal made Gor Mahia’s task even more difficult in the second half, as the Kenyan side now need at least two goals to get back into the contest.

Mahmoud Marei Forced Off With Injury

The first half also saw Mahmoud Marei, Pyramids’ defender, suffer a head injury following a collision with a Gor Mahia attacker.

After receiving medical attention, the defender was unable to continue and was replaced by Eyad El Assalaly in a forced substitution.

The injury means the coaching staff will need to reorganize the defensive line during the second half, particularly in an important continental fixture away from home.

Mokwena Names a Strong Lineup

South African head coach Rulani Mokwena started the match with a strong Pyramids lineup featuring several of the team’s key players.

The starting XI was:

Goalkeeper: Ahmed El-Shenawy.

Defense: Mohamed Chibi, Mahmoud Marei, Ahmed Samy, Karim Hafez.

Midfield: Mohanad Lasheen, Mahmoud Saber, Walid El Karti, Mostafa Fathi, Abdelrahman Magdy.

Attack: Youssef Obama.

The lineup combines experience with attacking quality, while also featuring players capable of controlling midfield and creating danger in the final third.

Pyramids’ Substitute Bench

Mokwena also has several important options available from the bench for the second half.

The substitutes are:

Mahmoud Gad, Khaled Awad, Eyad El Assalaly, Ahmed Tawfik, Hamed Hamdan, Nasser Maher, Ahmed Abdel Kader, Ahmed Atef “Qotah,” Ahmed Nader Ben Bouali.

These players provide the coaching staff with a variety of defensive, midfield and attacking solutions.

Pyramids Dominate the First Half

The Egyptian side made good use of their opportunities and scored twice at important moments.

The first goal came in the fifth minute, while the second arrived just before half-time, highlighting Pyramids’ efficiency in front of goal.

At the same time, the team kept a clean sheet during the opening 45 minutes and entered the break with a comfortable advantage.

Gor Mahia Face a Difficult Task

Gor Mahia now face a very difficult second half after falling two goals behind.

The Kenyan side must improve their attacking performance and look for an early goal to bring themselves back into the game, particularly because another Pyramids goal could make the task even harder.

They will also need to deal with Pyramids’ threat on the counterattack and prevent the visitors from exploiting spaces.

Pyramids Target a Strong Final Result

Pyramids will look to protect their advantage in the second half and potentially score more goals to strengthen their position in the tie.

Returning from Nairobi with a comfortable victory would give the Egyptian side a major advantage ahead of the second leg in Cairo, where they will have home support behind them.

Date of the Second Leg

The return match between Pyramids and Gor Mahia will be played in Cairo on Sunday, September 13, with kickoff scheduled for 8:00 PM at Air Defense Stadium.

Pyramids will aim to make the most of their first-leg advantage and secure qualification to the next round of the CAF Champions League.

✨ Pyramids lead Gor Mahia 2-0 at half-time through goals from Walid El Karti and Mahmoud Saber, while Mahmoud Marei suffers a head injury and is replaced by Eyad El Assalaly. ⚽🔥🇪🇬

📢 Can Pyramids maintain their lead and score more goals in the second half? What is your prediction for the final score against Gor Mahia?