A new way of winning: how Pyramids conquered Africa
A petty grudge, millions of dollars and seven years was all it took for Pyramids to become the kings of Africa
Pyramids FC are champions of Africa
Ten years ago, had you told me that Pyramids would be the CAF Champions League holders I would have asked, “who”?
A club that comes into existence, has millions of dollars pumped into it and climbs in under a decade to the pinnacle of football. Sounds more like a Football Manager fever dream than an actual football story.
But here we are. Krunoslav Jurčić’s side beat Mamelodi Sundowns 2-1 on the night (3-2 on aggregate) to win a first ever continental title and seal Pyramids’ place among the elite of African football.
A night to remember in Cairo
After securing the narrowest of leads in the first leg in Pretoria thanks to Walid El Karti’s last minute goal, Pyramids knew that a 0-0 would be enough.
So far this season, that has not been the Pyramids way. Often flying in the face of established knowledge on the continent, Pyramids have been bold in their approach. 1-0 down in South Africa, most teams would be content with that, not Pyramids.
And so it was a big surprise to most of us that Jurčić adapted his tactics, dropping star player and the face of Pyramids and Egyptian club football, Ibrahim Adel, in favour of Ramadhan Sobhi, a more natural midfielder. Likewise on the right wing, he opted for Ahmed Atef, a midfielder instead of winger Mostafa Fathi. The result was a formation more akin to a box 4-2-2-2 with Atef pushing inside to support Fiston Mayele.
And it worked a treat.
Sundowns, as expected, dominated possession but as in the first leg, it was almost entirely sterile. In the first leg, they struggled to assert midfield dominance because they played with four forwards and with just Teboho Mokoena and Marcello Ayende in the midfield. As he did at half time in the first leg, Miguel Cardoso adapted the shape, starting Jayden Adams in the midfield. But with Pyramids clogging the central spaces, Sundowns again struggled to break through the mid block.
On the other end, Pyramids played a very simple game in possession, hit it long and hope that Mayele can do something with it. If this was any other team on the continent, it would not be a particularly effective strategy, but with Mayele up front, it is entirely viable. He was a constant handful for Kekana and Lebusa, regularly winning the physical battle and getting his side up the pitch.
And it was through a long ball that Pyramids eventually took the lead. Mayele held up the ball before playing Atef down the wing. His cross wasn’t dealt with by Grant Kekana who tried to control the ball but had a heavy touch and Mayele was on hand to smash home brilliantly.
Now in the driving seat, Pyramids would sit even deeper, inviting Sundowns onto them while still providing a threat via Mayele. Sundowns, to their credit, played with a bit more verve and could have found themselves level on the stroke of half time when Lucas Ribeiro slipped through Tashreeq Matthews but the former Borussia Dortmund player couldn’t beat Ahmed El Shenawy.
Sundowns started the second half as they ended the first, with Ribeiro in particular starting to show why he is considered the best player in South African football. His delightful ball nearly found Iqraam Rayners who was brought down on the edge of the box, but both the referee and VAR thought that there wasn’t enough contact for a foul and likely red card for Mahmoud Marei.
But just as Sundowns were building a head of steam, Pyramids scored their second. Mohamed Chibi’s delightful crossed free kick found an unmarked Ahmed Samy who headed home from six yards.
For the second game in succession, Sundowns were again beat by a cross from deep, something that has become a kryptonite for the Brazilians over the last few years.
Sundowns laboured and laboured, eventually pulling one back through Rayners, who pounced on a poor clearance to halve the deficit. Knowing that just one goal would make Sundowns champions of Africa and having pulled a similar trick against Al Ahly in the semi finals in Cairo we were set up for a grandstand finish. But it never came. In fact, Pyramids had the best chance in the 10 minutes of added time when Mayele should’ve killed the game off when he found himself onside on the edge of the six yard box but fluffed the chance.
If you want more detailed tactical insight, check out Maher Mezahi’s African five-a-side podcast below.
Doing it their own way
Pyramids are certainly not a conventional team. They’ve only existed for seven years, have regularly had to pay fans to come support the team and were ultimately started because of a petty grudge. Such is the lack of support for them in Egypt that on the photos shared by the club of their ‘fans’, there are more Al Ahly shirts than Pyramids’ kits (I think even more Inter Miami shirts were visible).
The club is considered the laughing stock of Cairo, with the team even considering moving out of the capital and seeking a different city to make as their home.
But for all that, they are a terrifically well run club. They have hired the best staff off the pitch and former World Cup semi finalist in Jurčić as head coach. After spending silly money on Brazilians in their first year, the club has even become far more precise in the transfer market, bringing in talent like El Karti and Mayele who were the game changers in the final.
And for all their unlikability, Pyramids have been a joy to watch this season. 24 goals in 12 games is a Champion’s League record, they had the top two goal scorers in the competition in Mayele and Adel and have been tactically creative.
Jurčić in particular deserves a lot of credit. He is a tremendously spikey character in press conferences and an absolute menace on the touchline but he got the better of Miguel Cardoso in both legs of the final. Very few coaches would have the bravery to drop their most important player and the face of a club in the club’s most important match in their history. But Jurčić did and was rewarded for that courage and tactical nous.
Pyramids may not be taken seriously in Egypt but on the continental stage are now truly among the elite and in Soweto, the home of Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs, they are now the most popular Egyptian club.
