Ahmed Nazeer targets positive Pyramids result against Al-Merrikh Bentiu

Pyramids forward Ahmed Nazeer says the club must overcome the unfamiliar artificial pitch and high temperatures when they face Al-Merrikh Bentiu in the first leg of their CAF Champions League round-of-32 tie on Friday.

The match will be played at Juba Stadium in South Sudan, with Pyramids aiming to secure a result that will ease the pressure in the return fixture.

Nazeer said the Egyptian side had arrived two days before the game to adapt to the playing surface, which is not commonly used by the team.

“We have an important match ahead of us and will be playing on an artificial pitch, something we are not used to,” he told Pyramids’ media centre.

“That is why we came here two days early, so we could get accustomed to the surface.”

Pyramids’ preparation has also been affected by the conditions in South Sudan, with Nazeer identifying the combination of artificial turf and high temperatures as a significant challenge.

“God willing, we will show our true abilities, win the match and come away with a good result that will make our task easier in the second leg,” he added.

“The difficulty is playing on artificial grass in these high temperatures, and that is what makes the match difficult for us.”

Nazeer has scored in each of Pyramids’ past two matches and said contributing goals was part of his responsibility to the team.

“It is my duty to help the team by scoring goals,” he said. “Thankfully, I managed to score in the last two matches and, God willing, I will continue serving the team and playing for it.”

Al-Merrikh Bentiu, the South Sudanese champions, have decided to allow supporters to attend the match free of charge.

Pyramids will be without Mahmoud Gad and Hamed Hamdan, who remain absent from the squad. Ouda Al-Fakhouri has returned after missing the team’s match against Ceramica Cleopatra.