Pyramids FC claimed an important 1–0 away victory over South Sudan's Al Merrikh Bentiu on Friday at Juba International Stadium in the first leg of the CAF Champions League Round of 32.

The Egyptian side returned home with a valuable advantage ahead of the second leg, despite facing a difficult finish after defender Mahmoud Marei received a late red card.

Mahmoud Saber scored the only goal in the 30th minute, giving Pyramids a narrow but important win and moving the club one step closer to the next round of the African competition.

Saber Makes the Difference

Pyramids entered the match looking for a positive result away from home and managed to take the lead in the first half through Mahmoud Saber.

The midfielder found the net in the 30th minute, giving the Egyptian team an early advantage that they successfully protected until halftime.

Head coach Rulani Mokwena made several changes after the break as he looked to refresh his team and maintain control of the match.

Ahmed Atef Katta and Youssef Obama replaced Mostafa Ziko and Ahmed Tawfik at the start of the second half.

Mokwena later introduced Nasser Maher and Nadhir Benbouali in place of Mahmoud Zalaka and Ahmed Abdelkader.

As the match approached its final minutes, Walid El Karti came on for Abdelrahman Magdy to provide additional balance and help protect the narrow lead.

Pyramids managed to hold on to their advantage until the final whistle, securing an important victory in their opening match of the round.

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Red Card and Absences

The final minutes brought a defensive setback for Pyramids when Mahmoud Marei was sent off in the 90th minute after receiving his second yellow card.

Defender Ahmed Samy was also booked for protesting a referee's decision.

The red card means Marei will miss the second leg, while fellow defender Eyad El Askalany will also be unavailable through suspension.

These absences will force Mokwena to make changes to his defensive lineup for the return match.

Pyramids are scheduled to host Al Merrikh Bentiu on October 24 at the Air Defense Stadium in Cairo, where they will aim to protect their advantage and secure qualification for the next round.

The Egyptian side started Friday's match with Ahmed El Shenawy in goal, supported by a defensive line of Mohamed El Shibi, Mahmoud Marei, Ahmed Samy and Eyad El Askalany.

The midfield included Ahmed Tawfik, Mahmoud Saber, Abdelrahman Magdy, Mahmoud Zalaka and Ahmed Abdelkader, while Mostafa Ziko led the attack.

Although the 1–0 victory gives Pyramids an advantage heading into the second leg, qualification remains undecided.

With two defenders unavailable, the coaching staff will need to find the right balance between protecting the lead and maintaining an attacking threat.

Pyramids will now look to complete the job in Cairo and continue their journey in the CAF Champions League.