Pyramids FC and AS FAR Battle to a 1-1 Stalemate
In a thrilling encounter held at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat, Morocco, defending champions Pyramids FC showcased their resilience by battling back to secure a 1-1 draw against AS FAR in the first leg of their CAF Champions League quarter-final match. The Moroccan side struck first, taking an early lead in the match's eighth minute. A perfectly timed pass from Zin-Eddine Derrag found Ahmed Hammoudan on the left side of the penalty area, allowing Hammoudan to unleash a powerful shot that soared into the center of the net, putting AS FAR ahead.
Despite the setback, Pyramids FC pressed on with determination, striving to equalize. However, their efforts were thwarted repeatedly by the offside flag, with Fiston Mayele being caught offside multiple times during the first half. As the match progressed, Pyramids began to dominate possession but struggled to penetrate the well-organized AS FAR defense. Consequently, the hosts maintained their 1-0 advantage going into halftime.
The tide began to turn in the second half when Pyramids FC finally broke through. After a series of corner kicks, Mahmoud Zalaka was in the right place at the right time, converting a close-range shot in the 52nd minute to level the score at 1-1. This goal ignited a surge of energy in both teams, each eager to claim a decisive second goal. As the match approached stoppage time, Pyramids came agonizingly close to snatching a late winner, with Hamed Hamdan firing a powerful strike from outside the box, followed by Zico's left-footed effort that forced a save from the AS FAR goalkeeper.
The match concluded with both teams sharing the spoils, leaving the tie finely balanced ahead of the return leg scheduled to take place in Cairo. With the advantage of home support, Pyramids FC will look to leverage this momentum to advance to the semi-finals, while AS FAR will aim to capitalize on their early lead from the first leg.
As reported by von.gov.ng.
