South Africa and Egypt affair ahead of Saturday's CAF Champions League semis

As it has eventually turned out, South Africa V Egypt can be summarised as the theme of the day as the CAF Champions League semifinals take centre stage in South Africa on Saturday.

The CAF Champions League, the crowning glory of club football in Africa, is eagerly awaiting its most thrilling phase yet, with semi-final matches set to capture the imagination of fans across the continent, with two mouthwatering clashes set to take place.

Loftus Versfeld and FNB Stadium will host the semi-final first-leg encounters this afternoon and later in the evening.

Mamelodi Sundowns first host arch-rivals Al Ahly SC at Loftus (4 pm Kenyan time), and three hours later, some 70 km further down the M1 highway, Orlando Pirates will play visiting Pyramids FC (7 pm Kenyan time).

Defending champions Al Ahly are the most successful team in African football history with 12 Champions League titles to their name.

Sundowns head coach, Miguel Cardoso, lost last season's final to Ahly while in charge of Tunisia's Espérance.

Having beaten his former club with Sundowns in this season's quarter-finals, he will now look to settle the score with the Egyptian giants.

Ahly have won four of the last five CAF Champions League titles, while Mamelodi Sundowns are unbeaten in their last seven matches against Al Ahly (4 W, 3 D).

In the second semifinal, South African football giants Pirates take on Egyptian side, Pyramids FC, who are looking to add their name to the list of illustrious Egyptian clubs that have lifted Africa’s most coveted club competition title after Al Ahly and Zamalek.

Pirates have had a poor season domestically and will use this opportunity to cement their dreams of making the final selection.

Pirates Captain Innocent Maela says that they will be ready for the clash.

"We are focused as ever, we have had a few days to train and prepare, making sure that we are ready. I believe it will be a game that is not only exciting but competitive," he told the BBC.

Pirates are looking to win the Champions League for the first time since they won it in 1995.

They are the only team that qualified for the latter stages without losing a match, even throughout the group stages.

Pyramids are currently at the helm of the Egyptian Premier League after an impressive 2024/25 season. They have only suffered one loss in the league and are going toe-to-toe with Al Ahly for the trophy.

They have also been enjoying a great deal of success in this competition, only succumbing to one loss in the group stages and finishing second in Group D on equal points with Espérance.

CAF Champions League semifinals first leg (Kenyan time)

4 PM : Mamelodi Sundowns V Al Ahly

7 PM: Orlando Pirates V Pyramids FC