A brace from Fargie Lakay saw Pyramids ran out 2-0 winners over Zanaco in a CAF Confederation Cup Group B clash at National Heros Stadium in Lusaka on Sunday afternoon.
Pyramids started the brighter of the two teams and were on the attack from the word go when they created their first chance on goal in the sixth minute.
Ahmed Saad capitalized on a defensive mistake and played Ahmed Abdelmonem through on goal, but his shot from six yards out was brilliantly saved by Lameck Siame.
Zanaco should have scored in the 26th minute, but Mwila Phiri fired high and wide in the box when his skipper Moses Phiri was available for a simple tap-in.
Soon after, Pyramids’Ramadan Ahmed met a cross from the left but his header lacked power and was easily gathered by Siame.
Pyramids continued to apply the pressure and were rewarded for their efforts with a goal at the stroke of halftime.
Ibrahim Toure broke down the left flank and sent a through ball to the path of Fargie Lakay by the keeper and the South African made no mistake placing the ball past Simae, 1-0.
The concession of a goal seemed to awake the Bankers attack and they were unlucky not to draw level seven minutes after the second stanza when Moses Phiri found himself through on goal, but saw his attempted chip of the goalkeeper bounce on the top of the crossbar.
Pyramids net-minder Sherif Ahmed did well midway through the opening stanza, when he parried away a stinging effort from Kelvin Kapumbu from distance.
Ahmed then made a fine stop on the hour mark, as he dropped down sharply to foil a strike from Kevin Amoh on the run.
At the other end, Ibrahim Toure fired over from close range on the 75th minute after being teed up by Lakay’s headed cross.
Pyramids doubled their lead on the 83rd minute when Lakay saw feeble shot tipped going past the goalkeeper for his second of the night to make it 2-0.
Zanaco tried to find their way back into the match and came close to pulling a goal back in the 89th minute when Kapumbu saw a chipped shot tipped around the post by the keeper.
How they lined-up:
Zanaco: 16. Lameck Siame, 2. Christopher Mhango, 6. Kiala Gradi, 9. Moses Phiri (C), 13. Kevin Amoh, 15. Kelvin Kapumbu, 17. Abraham Siankombo, 21. Boyd Musonda, 24. Emmanuel Manda, 26. Taonga Bwembya, 37. Mwila Phiri
Pyramids: 22. Sherif Ahmed, 5. Aly Mossad (c), 6. Osama Galal Hamid Toeima, 8. Islam Attia, 10. Ramadan Ahmed, 14. Nabil Aly Elmahdy, 15. Ahmed Saad, 20. Ibrahim Blati Toure, 21. Mohammed Sharaf Eldin, 24. Ahmed Abdelmonem, 25. Fagrie Lakay
