Mayele Double Ends Pirates’ Champions League Journey

The dream of seeing two South African sides in the CAF Champions League final was shattered when Fiston Mayele scored twice, propelling Pyramids to a 3-2 victory over Orlando Pirates in the second leg of their semi-final clash at the 30 June Stadium on Friday night.

Mayele, whose earlier goal in the first leg was controversially disallowed by VAR, found the net twice for the Egyptian side, once in each half.

Pyramids will now face Mamelodi Sundowns in the two-legged Champions League final after Sundowns overcame Al Ahly in Cairo earlier on Friday.

Sundowns secured their place in the final by defeating the defending champions, Al Ahly, with a 1-1 aggregate score at the Cairo International Stadium.

This marks the first time a South African team has reached the Champions League final since Kaizer Chiefs did so in 2021, coincidentally losing to the same Egyptian giants, Al Ahly.

The prospect of an all-South African final in the Champions League was briefly heightened following Sundowns’ result, but Pyramids’ victory dashed those hopes. Pyramids arguably deserved their progression, having exerted considerable pressure on Pirates in the first leg at FNB Stadium last Saturday, a trend that continued in Egypt.

Pirates had a bright start, with Deon Hotto coming close to opening the scoring in the 13th minute with a shot inside the box, but his effort was blocked.

Pyramids, making their debut appearance in the competition’s semi-finals, appeared unsettled in the early stages of the game. Thalente Mbatha made a driving run forward for Pirates, but his subsequent cross was cleared.

However, The Buccaneers capitalized on their early momentum when Relebohile Mofokeng fired a stunning half-volley into the bottom corner in the 41st minute. The ball was cleverly flicked into his path by Thapelo Xoki, allowing Mofokeng to finish with a brilliant first-time strike. This was Mofokeng’s fifth goal in the Champions League this season.

This goal meant Pyramids, who had been somewhat underwhelming in the first half, now needed to score two goals to win the match. With Pirates employing a three-man defense, it appeared to be a significant challenge for the home side.

However, the tide quickly turned. In the referee’s added time of the first half, Mostafa Fathi’s cross caused confusion in the Pirates defense, with Xoki failing to make a clean clearance. The ball inadvertently fell kindly to Mayele, who composed himself and fired home to level the score.

Pirates regained the lead in the 52nd minute through Mohau Nkota, who unleashed a powerful shot from just outside the box. The ball fell favorably for Nkota, who had initially looked to set up Mofokeng, but after the clearance, he curled a magnificent strike into the net. Nkota has a knack for scoring important goals for Pirates in the Champions League, having also netted against MC Alger in the first leg quarter final in Algeria.

However, Pirates’ defensive frailties resurfaced just five minutes later. A long free-kick into the box found an unmarked Ramadan Sobhi, who headed past Sipho Chaine to equalize for Pyramids.

Pirates looked vulnerable defensively when dealing with aerial balls. Pyramids maintained possession and pushed Pirates deep into their own half, with the visitors adopting a deep defensive line. When Pirates did manage to gain possession, their clearances often lacked direction.

As the pressure mounted against Pirates, a deep corner kick from Pyramids was headed towards goal by an unmarked Mayele. Evidence Makgopa managed to clear the ball just before it crossed the line, but the reprieve was short-lived.

Another set-piece situation tested the Pirates defense in the 84th minute. While Chaine initially made a save, the rebound fell to the predatory Mayele, who made no mistake in finishing to put Pyramids ahead 3-2.

Pirates desperately tried to find an equalizer, throwing players forward in the final minutes. Hotto had a late opportunity, but his hesitation allowed the chance to slip away.

Despite the loss, Pirates players showed their disappointment, with some collapsing onto the pitch in frustration and tears visible among some members of the squad. However, this campaign still represents a significant step forward for Pirates, who had struggled to reach the group stages in the previous two seasons.

This was also Pirates’ first defeat in the Champions League this season.

For Pyramids, this is a historic moment as they reach the final of the CAF Champions League for the first time in the club’s history, having never progressed beyond the semi-finals before.