Congolese striker Fiston Kalala Mayele jumped high to head home an 81st minute equalizer that earned a 1-1 with APR at Amahoro Stadium on Saturday, September 14. There may still be 90 minutes to play in Egypt, but it was not the result that APR FC wished for in the first leg at home as they now face an uphill task to eliminate Pyramids at their home turf in Cairo if they are to qualify for the CAF Champions League group stages. The army side will be looking to win at the same stadium where they lost 6-1 at the hands of the Egyptians. ALSO READ: CAF CL: Pyramids jet in ahead of APR clash Before around 35,000 spectators, the Egyptian side dominated the game from the start, creating several chances, though they failed to capitalize early on. Pyramids FC started the game with their usual lineup with Ahmed Elshenawi in goal, Mahmoud Marei and Ahmed Saad in defense and Ibrahim Blati Toure controlling the midfield am while Mayele was leading the attack. On the other side, APR FC had Pavelh Ndzila between the sticks and Claude Niyomugabo captaining the defense and Sy Mamadou spearheading the attack. The visitors nearly scored an early lead inside five minutes, but Mohamed Fathi’s free kick was wasted after Mayele was fouled inches closer to APR penalty box. Pyramids had another golden opportunity to score after a quarter hour mark after Ndzila mishandled a pass from Karim Hafez. Mayele, quickly reacted to it and found himself in a position to score, but his attempt failed to find the target as his strike went wide. APR FC had their first attempt in the 21st minute. Jean Bosco Ruboneka unleashed a powerful strike from around 25 meters, forcing a save from Pyramids' goalkeeper, Elshenawi. The ball bounced back into play, but Pyramids' defense quickly cleared the danger. As the first half wore on, Pyramids remained the more aggressive side, creating another chance in the 30th minute when Mostafa Fathi slipped into the APR box. His low shot, however, was expertly saved by Ndzila. APR responded in the 35th minute with another attempt. Niyomugabo combined well with Yussif Dauda, whose powerful shot from distance sailed just over the crossbar. Both sides created a host of chances to no effect until they headed into the break. Pyramids came back into the second half firing, and just two minutes in, Mohamed Chibi had a chance to score from a free kick but APR defenders stood firm, clearing the ball from the penalty box. Sobhi pounced on the clearance and fired a shot on target, but Ndzila made a routine save. APR FC took a surprising lead six minutes into the second half. A dangerous cross from Lamine Bah caused confusion in the Pyramids defense, with Mohamed Chibi inadvertently heading the ball into his own net. The goal sparked scenic atmosphere inside the stadium, pushing the home side to attack once more. But Pyramids FC never backed down. They upped the pressure as they sought to level the score. APR nearly doubled their lead in the 62nd minute when Gilbert Mugisha was played through into the penalty area. He unleashed a powerful shot, but it flew just over the crossbar, denying APR a chance to secure a two-goal cushion. Darko Novic made his first substitution a minute later, bringing on Aliou Souane for Taddeo Lwanga, in a bid to reinforce his midfield. APR were denied a penalty after Mamadou Sy’s backheel attempt struck a Pyramids defender’s arm in the box. However, the referee ruled that it was an unintentional handball, leaving the home side’s players frustrated. As the clock ticked on, Pyramids remained relentless in their attack. In the 71st minute, Lamine Bah fouled Blati Toure just outside the box, setting up a free kick for the visitors. Chibi’s effort narrowly missed the target, going just wide. Pyramids earned a corner in the 74th minute, with Chibi delivering a well-placed cross to Ahmed Saad, whose header missed the target to the Egyptians’ dismay. Novic again made double substitution in the 75th minute, replacing Sy and Lamine Bah with Victor Mbaoma and Richmond Lamptey, respectively. The breakthrough for Pyramids came in the 81st minute when Mayele rose highest to head the corner kick into Ndzila’s net to level the scores 1-1. His equalizer not only silenced the home crowd but also gave Pyramids a vital away goal heading into the second leg. With the momentum building in their favor, the visitors continued to press forward in search of a winner. They made a substitution in the 85th minute, bringing on Ahmed Tawfik to replace Blati Toure, hoping to maintain control in midfield. APR, however, remained disciplined and made their final substitutions in the 88th minute, bringing on Arsene Tuyisenge and Ramadhan Niyibizi for Mugisha and Dauda respectively. The fourth official indicated four minutes of additional time, with both teams looking for a decisive goal. However, neither side could find a late winner as the match ended in a 1-1 draw. With the away goal in hand, Pyramids FC will head into the second leg in Egypt with a slight advantage, while APR will need a strong performance on the road if they are to progress to the next round of the CAF Champions League: the group stages. The second leg is set for September 21.
