Holders Pyramids crush Rivers United in Champions League opener

By Maxwell Kumoye 

 

 

CAF Champions League holders Pyramids FC launched their title defence with a thunderous statement on Saturday night, dismantling Nigeria’s Rivers United 3–0 in Cairo.

Thanks to a sensational hat-trick from 22-year-old winger Ahmed Atef, who turned the 30 June Stadium into his personal stage.

Group A was expected to be a battlefield, and the champions wasted no time reminding Africa why they wear the crown. Yet, it wasn’t all smooth sailing early on. 

Pyramids dominated the ball, pinned Rivers United deep, and rained down pressure, but the Nigerians stayed organized and stubborn, forcing the Egyptians into half-chances.

Abdel-Rahman Magdy even bent the stadium’s nerves when he blasted over the bar in the 20th minute.

But the second half? That belonged entirely to Ahmed Atef.

Just seven minutes after the restart, Atef pounced. Rivers goalkeeper Onisodumeya spilled Mahmoud Zalaka’s rocket, and the young winger calmly buried the rebound into an empty net, igniting the home crowd.

And the floodgates opened.

In the 57th minute, Atef soared through the Cairo night, meeting Karim Hafez’s pinpoint cross with a decisive header to double the lead and send Rivers’ defence scrambling for answers they never found.

Then came the finishing blow. In the 72nd minute, Atef completed his masterpiece, a blistering strike inside the box that thundered past Onisodumeya, sealing his hat-trick and Pyramids’ dominance.

With the win, Pyramids FC kept pace with fellow Group A contenders RS Berkane, who also recorded a 3–0 victory against Power Dynamos. 

The message is clear: the champions are hungry, confident, and ready for war.

Pyramids march on to their next assignment against Power Dynamos on 29 November, carrying momentum, swagger, and a new star shining brightly in Atef.