Defensive discipline and tactical caution defined Saturday’s CAF Champions League semi-final first legs, as both South African sides—Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates—were held to goalless draws by North African giants Al Ahly and Pyramids FC, respectively.
At Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, Mamelodi Sundowns and Egyptian heavyweights Al Ahly produced a tense 0-0 draw in the first leg of their highly anticipated TotalEnergies CAF Champions League semi-final.
Sundowns looked to capitalize on their home advantage, controlling possession and creating half-chances through Teboho Mokoena and Lucas Ribeiro Costa, but were consistently frustrated by a resilient Al Ahly backline anchored by Mostafa Al Aash and Yasser Ibrahim.
The visitors came closest to scoring just before halftime when Nejc Gradisar saw his header crash against the post, while Sundowns’ Marcelo Allende and Peter Shalulile also threatened without success.
Substitutions from Miguel Cardoso and Marcel Koller injected energy, but neither team could find the clinical edge. The result leaves the tie finely poised ahead of the decisive second leg in Cairo, where Al Ahly have not lost in the competition since 2021.
No breakthrough from either side as the game ends in a draw. 🤝#TotalEnergiesCAFCL pic.twitter.com/tAolHcrm4l
— TotalEnergies CAFCL & CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) April 19, 2025At FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, Orlando Pirates and Pyramids FC also played out a cagey 0-0 draw in their first-ever CAF Champions League semi-final clash.
The match was defined by VAR drama and narrow misses. Both teams had goals disallowed—Fiston Mayele’s first-half strike and Sodiq Ougola’s late effort were ruled out due to handball infringements in the build-up.
Pirates, inspired by their semi-final return after more than a decade, dominated the early exchanges. Patrick Maswanganyi rattled the post in the 15th minute, while Tshegofatso Mabasa and Thalente Mbatha came close as the South Africans piled on the pressure.
Pyramids FC, making their semi-final debut, remained compact and organized. Their structured approach and flashes of individual brilliance from Mostafa Fathi and Blati Touré caused occasional problems for the Pirates defense.
Despite tactical adjustments and second-half substitutions—including Evidence Makgopa for the hosts and Ahmed Atef for the visitors—the deadlock persisted.
☠️ FT | @orlandopirates 0 – 0 @pyramidsfc
⚫⚪🔴⭐#MatchDay#TotalEnergiesCAFCL#OrlandoPirates#OnceAlways pic.twitter.com/VGmfhtQgie
— Orlando Pirates (@orlandopirates) April 19, 2025The return leg in Cairo promises to be intense, with Orlando Pirates drawing confidence from their unbeaten away run in this year’s competition. For Pyramids FC, home advantage could be key in reaching their first-ever CAF Champions League final.
As both ties remain wide open, all eyes now shift to Cairo, where two African football powerhouses and two rising contenders will battle for a coveted place in the CAF Champions League final.
