Kenyan champions Gor Mahia will face a tall order to qualify for the next stage of the CAF Champions League after losing their first-leg fixture 2-0 against Pyramids FC at Nyayo Stadium on Sunday.
The record Kenyan league outfit were making a return to the continental stage having missed out last season as Kenya Police FC represented the East African nation.
The victory will give Pyramids a huge advantage heading into the return leg slated for September 13th in Cairo. The Egyptian outfit won their maiden CAF Champions League title in 2025 after defeating South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns 3-2 on aggregate in the final.
In a game many thought Gor Mahia would dominate, the Kenyan side found themselves trailing with only five minutes played when Walid El Karti found the back of the net to silence the huge K’Ogalo crowd that had turned out.
Gor Mahia tried to come back into the game but Pyramids doubled their lead in the 45th minute when Mahmoud Saber took advantage of a defensive mistake to slam home.
The second half saw Pyramids play cautiously, knowing that they had already grabbed a good cushion to take to the return leg in a fortnight. Gor Mahia went into the fixture having lost their FKF Super Cup fixture 3-1 against Tusker FC the previous Sunday.
For Pyramids, they have already kicked off the 2026/27 Egyptian Premier League season with a maximum of nine points from their opening three matches. Pyramids, under South Africa coach Rulani Mokwena, are currently sitting at the top of the 20-team league table with nine points from three matches.
The winner of the two-legged contest will advance to the second preliminary round, where they will face either South Sudan’s El Merreikh Bentiu or Somalia’s Heegan FC.
