Statement victories for RS Berkane and defending champions Pyramids FC

RS Berkane produced a confident and controlled performance at home to secure a 3–0 victory over Zambia’s Power Dynamos in Berkane.

The Moroccan side struck early, first benefiting from an own goal in the 13th minute when Aaron Katebe inadvertently turned the ball into his own net.

Just three minutes later, Haytam Manaout unlocked the defence with an incisive assist that found Mounir Chouiar, who finished clinically into the bottom-left corner to give Berkane a 2–0 lead inside 16 minutes.

The hosts continued to dominate after the break, maintaining composure and control in midfield. Their superiority was rewarded again in the 65th minute when they earned a penalty. Paul Valère Bassène stepped up and converted with confidence, placing his effort down the centre to make it 3–0.

Berkane managed the remaining minutes efficiently to claim a convincing victory and secure an important result in their group stage debut of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

Meanwhile in Cairo, defending champions Pyramids FC delivered a statement performance of their own, defeating Rivers United 3–0 thanks to a spectacular hat-trick from Ahmed Atef El Sayed.

After a tightly contested first half that ended 0–0, Pyramids returned from the break with renewed urgency. Their pressure paid off in the 52nd minute when Atef struck from close range to open the scoring.

Five minutes later, the forward doubled the advantage with a superb header into the top-right corner after an excellent through ball from Karim Hafez.

Pyramids continued to push forward, as Atef completed his hat-trick in the 72nd minute, guiding a composed right-footed effort into the bottom-left corner from a Mohamed Reda assist.

The reigning African champions controlled the tempo until the final whistle, sealing a dominant 3–0 win to reinforce their status as strong contenders for back-to-back continental titles.