Fathi's spectacular hat-trick steers Pyramids to group stage

A ruthless attacking performance led by a Mostafa Fathi hat-trick propelled Egyptian side Pyramids FC to a commanding 6-1 victory over Rwandan club APR FC on Friday night.

Playing at the Air Defence Stadium in Cairo, Pyramids FC put on an utterly dominant display to overturn a goalless first leg draw and comprehensively dispatch their opponents in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League round of 32.

Competing in Africa's top club competition for the first time, Pyramids FC have underlined their ambitions by  advancing to the group stage.

The tone was set after just 18 minutes when Fathi rifled a powerful long-range effort past the APR defence to open the scoring. Moroccan midfielder Walid El Karti doubled the lead four minutes later with an impressive strike from outside the area.

Pyramids FC's intensity barely dropped in the second half as Fathi grabbed his second on 50 minutes. The 29-year-old winger completed a remarkable hat-trick on 61 minutes to put the result beyond doubt.

Fathi capped a man of the match performance by bagging his fourth and Pyramids' fifth just nine minutes from time. Moroccan full-back Mohamed Chibi had added a fourth in the 69th minute.

APR pulled a late consolation goal back through substitute Victor Mbaoma but it scarcely mattered as Pyramids FC cruised to a 6-1 aggregate victory.

The hosts started brightly, carving out two good chances in the opening ten minutes only to be denied by stoic APR defending.

The return from injury of playmaker Abdallah El-Said and winger Ramadan Sobhi added further attacking threat to an already potent Pyramids line-up.