Mamelodi Sundowns were left licking their wounds after a 1-1 draw with Pyramids FC in the first leg of the 2024/25 CAF Champions League final on Saturday night, as the Egyptian visitors battled back to earn a crucial away result at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.

The South African champions struck early, with Lucas Ribeiro Costa opening the scoring just 10 minutes into the match.

The Brazilian forward latched onto a pinpoint through-ball from Themba Zwane and coolly slotted the ball past Ahmed El Shenawy to register his sixth goal of the tournament.

Sundowns dominated much of the first half, controlling possession and applying sustained pressure in search of a second goal.

Neo Maema and Teboho Mokoena both came close, but a combination of profligate finishing and resilient defending kept the scoreline unchanged.

Despite being second-best for long stretches, Pyramids remained compact and patient.

Their persistence paid off in the 73rd minute when Walid El Karti timed his run perfectly to head home a well-weighted cross from Ramadan Sobhi, silencing the home crowd.

The equaliser shifted the momentum, and Pyramids looked the more dangerous side in the closing stages. Fiston Mayele nearly snatched a winner, only to be denied by a crucial save from Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.

The draw gives Pyramids a slight advantage heading into the second leg in Cairo, with the away goal potentially proving decisive. For Sundowns, the result felt like a missed opportunity as they aim to reclaim continental glory for the first time since their 2016 triumph.

The Champions League will be decided on Saturday, May 31, when the two sides meet at the 30 June Stadium in Egypt to crown the 2024/25 champions.