Title holders Pyramids FC produced a commanding second half display to defeat Rivers United 4-1 at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo and secure top spot in Group A of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
The Egyptian side had to recover from an early setback after Rivers United took a surprise lead in the 33rd minute. Stephen Manu caught the visitors off guard with a powerful long range effort that flew past the goalkeeper, briefly igniting hopes of a famous result for the Nigerian champions.
That goal proved to be Rivers United’s only bright moment as Pyramids returned from the break with far greater intensity and control. Their pressure paid off in the 53rd minute when Mostafa Fathi met a well weighted pass from Mostafa Zico and finished calmly to draw the visitors level.
The equaliser completely shifted the balance of the match. Rivers United dropped deeper under sustained pressure as Pyramids dominated possession and forced a series of mistakes in the home defence. The decisive moment came in the 77th minute when a handball in the box resulted in a penalty. Marwan Hamdi made no mistake from the spot, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to put Pyramids ahead.
With Rivers United pushing forward in search of a response, spaces opened up and Pyramids took full advantage. Substitute Awda Al Fakhoury scored his first goal for the club in the 88th minute with a composed finish, before Nasser Maher added a fourth in stoppage time to cap a ruthless late spell.
The victory moves Pyramids to 13 points at the top of Group A and confirms their qualification for the quarter finals with a game to spare. Rivers United remain bottom of the group with just one point and are now mathematically eliminated, bringing their CAF Champions League campaign to an early end.
