Pyramids FC crush Rivers United to tighten grip on CAF Champions League group
Pyramids FC delivered a ruthless away performance to beat Rivers United 4-1 in Port Harcourt and take a commanding step towards the CAF Champions League knockout stages.
Despite Rivers United enjoying more of the ball and territory, the Egyptian visitors were clinical in both boxes, exposing defensive lapses and punishing almost every major opening they created in this Matchday 5 Group clash.
## Result and context
Rivers United 1–4 Pyramids FC
CAF Champions League – Group Stage, Match Round 5
Venue: Port Harcourt
The result leaves Rivers United with a mountain to climb in the final round of group fixtures, while Pyramids FC, who showed the greater cutting edge and game management, strengthened their position as one of the favourites to progress.
## Possession without punch
On the balance of play, Rivers United could reasonably argue the scoreline was harsh.
They dominated possession, recording 56% of the ball to Pyramids FC’s 44%, and for long spells moved it with confidence across midfield. Stephen Manyo was especially influential, completing 80% of his 62 passes from deep, regularly recycling play and trying to build from the back.
But dominance in possession did not translate into genuine threat. Rivers managed 13 attempts, yet only 2 were on target – a statistic that summed up their lack of cutting edge in the final third. Osimaga Duke was their most active shooter, repeatedly trying his luck from distance and half-chances around the area, but he could not find the accuracy to trouble the Pyramids goalkeeper repeatedly.
In contrast, Pyramids FC executed a clear, disciplined game plan. Happy to concede territory at times, they picked their moments to break at speed and attack the Rivers back line. They finished with 18 shots, 6 of them on target, and their superior efficiency in and around the box ultimately decided the contest.
Mostafa Mohamed Zaki Abdelraouf led the way for the visitors in front of goal, consistently hitting the target and stretching the Rivers defence whenever given space to run at them. His movement and decision-making underpinned Pyramids’ ruthless attacking display.
## Key creators and passing battles
In an open, attacking game, both sides had players capable of unlocking defences with incisive passing.
For Rivers United, Aniekeme Okon was the main creative hub in advanced areas. He produced 3 key passes, often drifting between the lines and looking to thread balls into the channels. Okon’s delivery and vision ensured Rivers regularly worked the ball into promising zones, but the final touch and finish were lacking.
Pyramids FC had their own creative fulcrum in Walid El Karti, who also registered 3 key passes. Operating intelligently between midfield and attack, El Karti linked play, found pockets of space and fed the runners ahead of him. His understanding with Abdelraouf and the forward line was evident each time Pyramids sprang forward, often turning defence into attack with one or two direct, vertical passes.
At the back, Mahmoud Marei Abd El Fadil Sharafeldin offered composure for Pyramids, completing 81% of his 44 passes. His calmness in possession, particularly under pressure from Rivers’ high press, helped the visitors bypass the first wave and launch counters into space behind the Nigerian champions’ defensive line.
## Defensive discipline and key interventions
The match was not just a story of attacking quality; it was also shaped by defensive work, especially from Pyramids FC, who repeatedly shut down Rivers United’s efforts to claw their way back.
Rivers United finished with 11 interceptions, with Osimaga Duke leading the way on 3. Duke’s reading of the game in midfield allowed Rivers to break up several Pyramids moves before they fully developed. For all his work off the ball, though, the protection he and his teammates offered was not enough to prevent Pyramids from exploiting spaces in transition.
Pyramids FC edged the interception battle with 12, and it was Ahmed Tawfik Mohamed Hassan who stood out. His 5 interceptions were crucial in disrupting Rivers United’s rhythm, particularly when the hosts tried to build centrally. Time and again he stepped in at the right moment, turning Rivers’ promising moves into counter-attacking platforms for his own side.
Blocks also told a story of defensive commitment. Rivers United registered 4 blocks, with Effimi Nsi Edim contributing 1, often throwing himself in the way of shots as Pyramids broke forward in numbers. But it was the visitors who were more decisive in this department too, finishing with 5 blocks. Marwan Hamdy Mehany led them with 2, showing awareness and bravery to shut down goal-bound efforts when Rivers did manage to work shooting angles.
These defensive actions – interceptions high up the pitch and well-timed blocks in their own box – underpinned Pyramids’ game plan: absorb, frustrate, then strike with conviction.
## Physical duels and battles across the pitch
The match featured a series of intense, physical battles all over the pitch, with both sides willing to engage in direct duels for the ball.
For Rivers United, T. Zachariah was their standout competitor in one‑to‑one contests. He was involved in 7 face-to-face duels, constantly trying to impose himself in midfield and down the flanks. His commitment set the tone for Rivers’ aggressive approach, even if it could not tilt the outcome in their favour.
Pyramids FC had their own enforcer in Osama Galal Hamed Toeima, who led all players with 10 face-to-face fights for the ball. His dominance in these direct contests helped the visitors wrest control of key areas, especially in defensive zones where winning first and second balls stopped Rivers from building sustained pressure.
That physical edge, aligned with tactical discipline, allowed Pyramids to withstand periods of Rivers possession without conceding a flood of clear chances.
## Why Pyramids FC ran away with it
The 4-1 scoreline reflects a match in which Pyramids FC were simply more ruthless and more balanced.
– **Clinical finishing**: With 6 shots on target from 18 attempts, Pyramids were significantly more accurate and composed when chances arose. Abdelraouf’s sharpness was emblematic of that.
– **Defensive structure**: Strong interception numbers, key blocks and dominance in duels – particularly from Ahmed Tawfik and Osama Galal – meant Rivers’ possession rarely translated into genuinely dangerous moments.
– **Transitional threat**: While Rivers often had the ball, Pyramids were the more dangerous side on the break. El Karti’s creativity, coupled with well-timed forward runs, repeatedly caught the hosts out of shape.
Rivers United, by contrast, can reflect on positive elements – control of the ball, decent passing accuracy from Manyo, creative flashes from Okon – but will be haunted by their lack of punch in the final third and vulnerability once they lost possession.
## Looking ahead
For Rivers United, this heavy home defeat places enormous pressure on their final group match. Improvements in both penalty-box defending and shooting efficiency will be essential if they are to salvage their CAF Champions League campaign.
Pyramids FC, meanwhile, leave Port Harcourt with three points, four goals and a performance that underlines their credentials as serious contenders. Combining organisation without the ball, sharp transitions and a clinical edge, they showed exactly what is required to win tough away fixtures in the CAF Champions League.
On a night when possession favoured the hosts, it was the visitors’ precision, power and discipline that told – and that is why Pyramids FC leave Nigeria with a resounding 4-1 victory.
- Rivers United will play with Renaissance Berkane. February 14 at 19:00 (GMT), on Stade Municipal de Berkane.
- Pyramids FC will play with Power Dynamos. February 14 at 19:00 (GMT), on 30 June Stadium.
Rivers United
- Osagie Onisodumeya (5.9)
- Effimi Nsi Edim (6.2)
- Stephen Manyo (7.7)
- David Sholumade (6.9)
- Ochobi Elias (5.3)
- Wasiu Falolu (6.6)
- Osimaga Duke (6.6)
- Seyi Oguntayo (6.7)
- Aniekeme Okon (6.6)
- Mbaoma Chijioke (6.7)
- T. Zachariah (6.6)
Pyramids FC
Substitutions:
Rivers United
- David Sholumade (Temple Emekayi, 67)
- Seyi Oguntayo (Rivio Ayemwenre, 67)
- T. Zachariah (Maclyn Biokpo Jenewari, 68)
- Aniekeme Okon (Wisdom Samuel, 82)
- Effimi Nsi Edim (Isaac Annor, 82)
Pyramids FC
- Mohanad Mostafa Ahmed Abdelmonem (Karim Hafez Ramadan Seif El Din, 62)
- Ewerton Paixão da Silva (Nasser Maher Abdelhamid Abdelhamid El Nouhi, 70)
- H. Hamdan (Ahmed Atef El Sayed, 71)
- Mostafa Mohamed Fathi Abdel Hameid Mohamed Abdelha (Mahmoud Abdel Hafiz Mohamed, 83)
- Karim Hafez Ramadan Seif El Din (O. Al Fakhouri, 83)
Ball possession:
Passes:
Defense:
Face-to-face:
Fouls:
- Ochobi Elias (Rivers United) at 74 minute
- Temple Emekayi (Rivers United) at 75 minute
Yellow cards:
Penalties in a match:
- Marwan Hamdy Mehany (Pyramids FC) at 77 minute
The last five games (including this match):
- Rivers United – L
- Pyramids FC – W
Top 5 CAF Champions League scorers:
- Ahmed Atef El Sayed (4, Pyramids FC)
- Mahmoud Ahmed Ibrahim Hassan (3, Al Ahly)
- Nuno Miguel Valente Santos (2, Mamelodi Sundowns)
- Aboubacar Diakite (2, ES Tunis)
- Abdelrazig Yagoub Omer Taha (2, Al Hilal Omdurman)
Line-ups:
Next games:
- Rivers United will play with Renaissance Berkane. February 14 at 19:00 (GMT), on Stade Municipal de Berkane.
- Pyramids FC will play with Power Dynamos. February 14 at 19:00 (GMT), on 30 June Stadium.
