Pyramids Midfielder Ibrahim Blati Touré in action during the match with AS FAR. Photo courtesy Pyramids Facebook page.
Pyramids FC got an important first-leg advantage, having won 4-1 against the Moroccan side one week earlier in Cairo, in what seemed a one-sided affair.
With this lucrative win, the Egyptian side's mission should not be difficult on Tuesday, as the hosts will be looking to compensate for their three-goal deficit.
“We are not qualified for the semi-finals yet,” Pyramids FC coach Krunoslav Jurcic stated at a news conference.
“We made a good result in Cairo, but FAR is a strong team and they still have a chance at home. We must be fully concentrated during the game to achieve our target.”
The Croatian coach will rely on the good form of his players, especially the offensive trio of Ibrahim Adel, Fiston Mayele, and Mostafa Fathy.
The Congolese striker and Adel each netted twice in the first leg, while Fathy posed a real threat to the Moroccan side throughout the full 90 minutes.
However, they need to strengthen their defense, which appeared vulnerable during the first leg.
The team’s defense will face a tough challenge in the second leg, as the hosts will fight fiercely to overturn their first-leg deficit.
Experienced defenders Aly Gabr, Ahmed Samy, and former international keeper Ahmed El-Shennawy will play crucial roles on Tuesday.
However, the Egyptian side filed an official complaint to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) against the hosts after they were unable to find a training facility in Rabat during the two days leading up to their departure for Meknes.
According to the club’s statement, four training grounds refused to host the team’s training, forcing them to use a pitch far from their hotel, requiring a 70-minute commute, and the pitch condition was reportedly poor.
The coach canceled the training session due to concerns over potential injuries on the substandard ground.
On the other hand, FAR will have a mountain to climb, needing to overturn their 4-1 loss from the first leg in Cairo.
“Our mission will be very difficult, but we will do our best to succeed,” said the team’s coach Alexandre Santos.
“We made a lot of mistakes in the first leg, and we must avoid those in the second leg, as there is no room for error.” he concluded.
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