Pyramids coach vows to avoid Al Ahly's past mistake against Sundowns

Krunoslav Jurčić. Photo credit: Pyramids FC

Pyramids FC coach Krunoslav Jurčić believes he's identified a crucial mistake Al Ahly made that led to their CAF Champions League semi-final defeat against Mamelodi Sundowns.

In that encounter, Sundowns booked their spot in the final by scoring a crucial away goal in Cairo, resulting in a 1-1 draw after a goalless first leg in Pretoria.

Learning from Al Ahly's past misstep, the Croatian coach is determined to ensure his Pyramids troops avoids a similar fate.

Sundowns will face Pyramids at the June 30 Stadium in Cairo this Sunday evening at 7 PM (CAT) in the Champions League final, following a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Pretoria.

According to Jurčić, Al Ahly's mistake was a defensive posture after scoring an early goal, a strategy he refers to as "waiting until the end of the match."

"Ahly played against Sundowns, and they scored an early goal, and they were waiting until the end of the match," said Jurčić. "This is a tactical decision. I respect and it can be that Ahly win that match 1-0 and they’re going to the final match.

“But my standard of football is not that way. We will try to play our way,” Jurčić said. He is aware that Egypt could become the first country in African football history to have four different clubs crowned continental champions."

A goalless draw or any win at home will be enough for Pyramids to etch their name into African football history.

Should Pyramids triumph, it won't just be a maiden continental crown for the club; it will mark an unprecedented milestone for Egyptian football. The North African nation already boasts three different clubs that have lifted the coveted African title: powerhouses Al Ahly, Zamalek, and Ismaily.

No other nation in the history of African club football has ever had four separate clubs crowned continental champions.