Pyramids send Gor Mahia crashing out of Champions League with 5-1 thrashing

Gor Mahia in action agaist Pyramids FC in the Champions League prelminary round second leg in Cairo. [Pyramids, Facebook]

Gor Mahia’s CAF Champions League journey ended in painful fashion on Sunday as reigning African champions Pyramids FC completed a 7-1 aggregate rout with a commanding 5-1 victory in Cairo.

Needing to overturn a two-goal deficit from the first leg in Nairobi, the Kenyan champions were given little room to dream at Cairo’s Air Defense Stadium as Pyramids turned their continental experience and home advantage into another emphatic victory.

The result ended Gor Mahia’s campaign at the first-round stage, with Pyramids advancing as the tie moved closer to the league phase of the competition.

Pyramids gradually took control of the contest, breaking the deadlock in the 27th minute through Moroccan midfielder Walid El Karti.

Nasser Maher then doubled the hosts’ advantage 10 minutes later, leaving Gor Mahia facing an increasingly difficult task.

The Egyptian champions struck again just before half-time through Youssef “Obama” Ibrahim to establish a 3-0 lead and put the tie virtually beyond the Kenyan side’s reach.

Gor Mahia, however, found a response before the break when David Okello pulled one back to make it 3-1.

The goal offered a brief lift to the visitors and ended an impressive defensive run for Pyramids, who had gone six matches without conceding since the beginning of the season.

Any hopes of a dramatic Gor Mahia comeback were quickly extinguished after the restart.

Mostafa “Ziko” Abdel-Raouf restored Pyramids’ three-goal cushion before Mahmoud “Zalaka” Abdel-Hafiz added a fifth to complete a comprehensive victory for the hosts.

The 5-1 scoreline meant Pyramids progressed 7-1 on aggregate, having also won the opening leg 2-0 at Nyayo National Stadium.

For Gor Mahia, the result brings another continental campaign to an abrupt end and underlines the gulf they faced against a Pyramids side that has quickly established itself among Africa’s elite.

Pyramids are the reigning CAF Champions League holders, having secured their maiden continental crown last season after overcoming South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns 3-2 on aggregate in the final.

Gor Mahia will now have to shift their attention back to domestic football, with their Champions League hopes extinguished by a Pyramids side that proved too strong across both legs.