El Merriekh Bentiu vs Pyramids CAF Champions League Preview
Pyramids will be eyeing a first-leg advantage when they travel to El Merriekh Bentiu of South Sudan for their CAF Champions League second-round qualifier.
The Egyptians boast a solid reputation in the competition and given their impressive form at the moment, should have too much quality for their hosts.
Key Stats
- Pyramids have won their last nine matches in all competitions.
- Pyramids have won by two or more goals in five of their last nine matches in all competitions.
- El Merriekh Bentiu have lost five of their last nine matches in all competitions.
No Previous Meetings
This will be the first ever meeting between El Merriekh Bentiu and Pyramids at this level.
Champions League Debut for El Merriekh Bentiu
El Merriekh Bentiu are making their debut in this competition after emerging champions of the South Sudan Premier League last season. They did the double over Heegan in the previous round, claiming a 4-0 aggregate victory to score a place in this clash.
The last outing for El Merriekh Bentiu was the second leg against Heegan as they claimed a 3-0 away victory. Tot Doh opened the scoring in the first half while Keer Majak and Kekeli Attor added further goals after the break.
While El Merriekh Bantiu will take confidence from that win, their overall form has been unconvincing lately. Jean Claude Loboko’s team have lost five of their last nine matches in all competitions, with a 5-1 defeat to Gor Mahia among their results.
Smooth Sailing for Pyramids
Pyramids were in rampant mood in the previous round, claiming a 7-1 aggregate victory over Gor Mahia. The former champions earned a 2-0 away victory in the first leg before picking up a 5-1 home win in the second meeting.
Both results highlight Pyramids’ confident mood at the moment as they have won their last nine matches in all competitions. Mamdouh Eid’s team have also impressed on their travels, winning their last four away matches in all competitions.
Pyramids have been dominant lately, with a number of one-sided wins among their results. Beyond the win over Gor Mahia, they also earned a 3-0 triumph over Ghazi El Mahallah and picked up a 4-1 victory over Ceramica Cleopatra in an Egyptian Premier League fixture last weekend.
Team News & Predicted Line-ups
El Merriekh Bentiu (4-3-3): Gabin Allambatnan; Kekeli Attor, Rehan Angier, Saleh Ishimwe, Bangasi Bakosoro; Eric Mbrizi, David Derrick, Ousmane Sampi; Tito Mayor, Keer Majak, Tot Doh.
Attor scored off the bench for El Merriekh Bentiu last time out and could be handed a start on Friday. Eric Mbrizi is expected to feature in midfield while Tot Doh should lead the line once again, having also found the net against Heegan.
Pyramids (4-4-2): Ahmed El Shenawy; Mohamed Chibi, Mahmoud Marei, Ahmed Samy, Karim Hafez; Mostafa Fathi, Walid El Karti, Mohanad Lasheen, Nasser Maher; Nadir Benbouali, Mostafa Ziko.
Mostafa Ziko and Nadir Benbouali were both on target for Pyramids last weekend and should continue their attacking partnership. Ahmed Samy is expected to start in defence, while Mohanad Lasheen should feature in midfield.