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Foreign trio help Egyptian club Pyramids become African champions / Photo: © AFP
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Foreign trio help Egyptian club Pyramids become African champions
Congolese prolific scorer Fiston Mayele, Croatian coach Krunoslav Jurcic and Emirati businessman Salem al Shamsi played key roles as Pyramids became the fourth Egyptian club to be crowned African champions.
Competing in the premier African club competition for only the second time, Pyramids beat South African rivals Mamelodi Sundowns 2-1 on Sunday in Cairo and 3-2 on aggregate in the CAF Champions League final.
Mayele, 30, scored nine of the 37 Pyramids goals in 16 matches en route to glory and repaid the transfer fee when he moved to Egypt from Tanzanian club Young Africans in mid 2023.
His goal haul was the best in the Champions League this season, with seven-goal Youcef Belaili from Tunisian outfit Esperance the Golden Boot runners-up.
Born in the central Democratic Republic of Congo city of Mbuji-Mayi, Mayele began his professional career in 2019. He played for V Club in Kinshasa and Young Africans before moving to Egypt.
Often seemingly invisible in a match, his predatory instincts put in the right place at the right time often allows him to deliver his clinical finishing.
He excels at the 30 June Stadium home of Pyramids in Cairo, scoring twice against FAR Rabat in the quarter-finals and twice again against Orlando Pirates of South Africa in the semi-finals.
Mayele then delivered the first blow against Sundowns in the second leg of the final, originating a sweeping move and finishing it by drilling a loose ball into the far corner of the net.
Former Croatia midfielder Jurcic has the best winning rate of the many mainly foreign coaches Pyramids have deployed since the club changed their name from Al Assiouty in 2018 and moved to Cairo.
Largely unknown in Africa until the knockout phase of the Champions League, the 55-year-old constantly moves up and down the sideline, frantically shouting instructions.
- Positive energy -
"I believe I can transmit my energy in a positive way," said the coach whose previous highest profile position was a one-year stint from 2017 as Saudi Arabia coach.
Many of the 19 Champions League triumphs by Egyptian clubs Al Ahly, Zamalek, Ismaily and Pyramids were born out of blanket defending and clinical counterattacks.
Jurcic does not fit that mould, though. He surprised Pirates in Johannesburg and Sundowns in Pretoria by adopting offensive tactics. He wants to outscore opponents rather than erect defensive barriers.
While Mayele and six-goal Ibrahim Adel were the chief contributors to the 37 Champions League goals, a remarkable total of 19 players scored at least once in the African campaign.
In recent years Pyramids have replaced Zamalek as the major rivals of Egyptian and African giants Ahly, and the financial backing of Al Shamsi has been crucial.
Pyramids can compete for Egyptian and foreign stars with the two clubs who have dominated the domestic scene for decades.
Apart from Mayele, defender Mohamed Chibi and midfielder Walid el Karti from Morocco and Burkina Faso midfielder Blati Toure started in both legs of the final.
When the final whistle blew on a warm, windy night in Cairo and Pyramids began celebrating victory over Sundowns, no one was happier than Pyramids captain and veteran goalkeeper Ahmed el Shenawy.
He was one of four players in the Pyramids squad who had been part of the Zamalek team convincingly beaten by Sundowns in the 2016 Champions League title decider.
Pyramids will have little time to celebrate conquering Africa though as they face Zamalek on Thursday in the Egyptian FA Cup final.
Then, on a date to be announced, they will tackle Renaissance Berkane of Morocco, winners of the second-tier CAF Confederation Cup, in a CAF Super Cup match worth $500,000 to the winners.
K.Hernandez--SFF
