
Ahly vs Pyramids. Photo courtesy of Pyramids.
With three matches remaining, Ahly now need almost a miracle to stay in the race.
Zamalek lead the table with 50 points, three ahead of second-placed Pyramids FC and six clear of third-placed Ahly, who have 44.
Congolese striker Fiston Mayele scored twice in the 70th and 77th minutes, while Karim Hafez added a third in stoppage time.
Ahly started brightly, buoyed by Zamalek’s draw with ENPPI earlier in the day.
Taher Mohamed came close to opening the scoring in the second minute, but his effort from inside the area was saved by Pyramids goalkeeper Ahmed El-Shennawy.
Ahly controlled possession and won several corners but posed little real threat.
Their best chance came in the 32nd minute, when Mahmoud “Trezeguet” Hassan rose to meet Taher’s cross, only to head wide.
Pyramids responded four minutes later, with Mayele’s header saved by Ahly goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir.
The hosts threatened early in the second half when Mayele’s shot from inside the area was saved by Shobeir, before Nasser Maher’s follow-up was cleared by defender Yasser Ibrahim.
Mayele opened the scoring in the 70th minute, capitalizing on a misplaced pass by Ibrahim to fire a low shot from the edge of the area.
Four minutes later, Ahly thought they had equalized through Trezeguet, but the goal was ruled out for offside against Achraf Bencharki in the build-up.
Mayele doubled Pyramids’FC lead in the 77th minute, racing clear before calmly lifting the ball over the goalkeeper.
Pyramids remained in control against an Ahly side that struggled to respond.
The referee signaled 10 minutes of added time, during which Karim Hafez converted a penalty after being fouled in the area by Ahly winger Ahmed “Zizo” Sayed.
Ahly next face Zamalek in the Cairo derby on Friday, while Pyramids FC take on ENPPI earlier in the day.
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
Short link: