CAF Champions League: Mahmoud Saber fires Pyramids to victory against Al-Merreikh as Marei sees red

Egyptian side Pyramids secured a valuable 1-0 away victory over South Sudanese champions Al-Merreikh Benito in the first leg of their CAF Champions League round-of-32 tie.

Mahmoud Saber scored the decisive goal in the 30th minute at Juba International Stadium on Friday, giving Pyramids an advantage ahead of the return match in Cairo on 24 October.

However, Pyramids will be without defender Mahmoud Marei for the second leg after he was sent off late in the contest.

Saber gives Pyramids the lead

Pyramids dominated much of the first half and made their advantage count when Saber fired home from inside the penalty area in the 30th minute.

The goal proved to be the difference between the teams in a match that saw Al-Merreikh Benito attempt to fight back and find an equaliser.

The South Sudanese side also appealed for a penalty before the 80th minute, but the referee allowed play to continue.

Marei suspended for Cairo return

Pyramids suffered a setback in the closing stages when Marei received a second booking and was sent off in the 89th minute.

The defender’s dismissal means he will miss the return fixture through suspension, leaving Pyramids without him as they seek to complete the job at home.

The second leg is scheduled for 24 October at the Air Defense Stadium in Cairo, where Pyramids will look to protect their first-leg advantage and secure progress to the next round.