Mamelodi Sundowns and Pyramids secured prestigious spots in the CAF Champions League final after surviving a night of pure drama on Friday, 25 April.After a 0-0 stalemate in the first leg in Pretoria, Sundowns were forced to stage a last-minute comeback after going down early to a Taher Mohamed strike midway through the first half.Follow Our WhatsApp Channel For More NewsBacked by a passionate home crowd, Al Ahly dominated much of the first period and looked on course to finally break their winless streak against the South Africans.But Mamelodi Sundowns showed their resilience and turned the tie on its head in the closing stages.With ten minutes remaining, a low cross caused panic in the Ahly defence, resulting in Yasser Ibrahim inadvertently turning the ball into his own net under pressure from Peter Shalulile.Fight for top, under-fire manager, and battle against the drop dominates FKFPL Saturday actionIt was a heartbreaking moment for the Egyptian giants and a lifeline for Sundowns, who knew a 1-1 draw would be enough to see them through.Al Ahly threw everything forward in search of a late winner, with substitutes Achraf Bencharki and Wessam Abou Ali both going close in a frantic finale.But Sundowns, marshalled superbly by their backline and aided by a bit of fortune, held firm to seal a famous qualification.It marks a significant milestone for Pretoria-based side, who have now gone nine consecutive matches unbeaten against the record African champions.The sky is the limit! 💛Mamelodi Sundowns are #TotalEnergiesCAFCL finalists for the third time in history! 🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/UtSbIhR4Me— TotalEnergies CAFCL & CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) April 25, 2025 In the final, they come up against Egyptian side Pyramids, who secured their first trip to the finals thanks to a 3-2 victory over Orlando Pirates in Cairo.After a goalless first leg in Johannesburg, both sides came out determined at the 30 June Air Defence Stadium, and it was Pirates who struck first when Relebohile Mofokeng slotted home from close range midway through the first half.The lead, however, was short-lived. Pyramids levelled just before half-time, with Fiston Mayele pouncing on a cross from Mostafa Fathi to restore parity.The end-to-end nature of the contest continued after the break, and Pirates regained the advantage when Mohau Nkota fired in a superb low drive on 52 minutes.##NAJAVA_MECA_8888419##Yet the Egyptian side showed their resolve in front of their home fans. Ramadan Sobhi rose highest to meet a Mohamed Chibi cross, heading past Sipho Chaine to make it 2-2 just moments later.The decisive moment came with just six minutes remaining.After a goalmouth scramble from a corner, Mayele reacted quickest, hammering the ball into the roof of the net to spark wild celebrations among the home faithful.Despite late pressure from the South African visitors, including efforts from Tshegofatso Mabasa and Mofokeng, Pyramids held on to secure a famous win and extend their remarkable unbeaten home record to 23 matches.All is set then, for a historic final.🇿🇦🇪🇬𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐒 𝐃𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐃💥!🏆🔗 https://t.co/8PTHqg7Zb9🔗 https://t.co/gHJjNnuif0#TotalEnergiesCAFCL pic.twitter.com/c96m1JSMVZ— CAF Media (@CAF_Media) April 25, 2025
