Fiston Mayele scored a hat-trick as Pyramids of Egypt defeated Al-Ahli 3-1 in the FIFA African-Asian Pacific Cup on Tuesday in Jeddah to move into the next stage of the 2025 FIFA International Cup.
These winners of the Champions Leagues in Asia and Africa played out an entertaining affair, but the club from Cairo ran out deserved winners and will meet a team from South or North America in the next stage with European title-holders Paris Saint-Germain waiting in December’s final.
Just a few days earlier, Al-Ahli came back from 3-0 down against Al-Hilal to draw 3-3 but found the African champions a tougher nut to crack.
The visitors, who had come close earlier, stunned the home fans after 20 minutes. Mayele, top scorer in the CAF Champions League last season, collected possession from Ibrahim Toure just outside the area, made a little space for himself and then sent a low shot arrowing into the bottom corner past Eduardo Mendy.
Just after the half-hour, Al-Ahli came close to the equalizer. First, Enzo Millot had a one-on-one with the goalkeeper but his shot was saved by Ahmed El-Shenawy, and the resultant corner drifted across the face of goal with no green shirt able to connect.
In the 43rd minute, Millot spun away from Osama Galal in the area and was caught by the defender. The referee rightfully pointed to the spot and up stepped Ivan Toney to send the goalkeeper the wrong way.
Pyramids came within a whisker of retaking their lead on the stroke of half-time but Mahmoud Zalaka’s powerful shot from inside the area came back off the post, and there was still time for Abu Al-Shamat to shoot right at El-Shenawy from close range.
Mayele had a second-half goal ruled out for offside just after the hour and within a minute or two, Toney’s close-range header was well-saved. However, the Egyptians retook the lead in the 71st minute thanks to Mayele once more as he turned in a Zalaka cross from the right at the near post.
It was 3-1 soon after as the DR Congo star brought down a long ball in the area and then shot the rebound home after Mendy had saved his first shot.
There was no coming back from that for the Asian champions and the Pyramids advance to the next stage.
