Brazil’s Flamengo defeated Egypt’s Pyramids FC 2-0 to win the 2025 FIFA Challenger Cup at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al-Rayyan, Qatar on Saturday.
With this win, Flamengo will face defending UEFA Champions League champions and 2025 FIFA Club World Cup runners-up Paris Saint-Germain for the Intercontinental Cup title at the same venue on December 17.
The Brazilian team, the favorites to advance, set the tone of the match as early as the fifth minute when Everton tried to put the ball into the net. But his shot was blocked by the Pyramids defense, saving the Egyptian team.
Filipe Luis kept the ball and passed it around well, with veteran midfielder Jorginho playing almost as a third centre-back in the team’s 4-2-3-1 formation. However, Pyramids frontman Fiston Mayele from DR Congo remained on the heels of the Flamengo defenders.
This almost paid off in the 22nd minute when former Manchester United defender Guillermo Varela’s header back to his goalkeeper Fiston Mayele seemed to present an opportunity. But Argentinian custodian Augustin Rossi had already left his line and promptly kicked the ball away.
A group of Flamengo and Pyramids FC fans sat behind the Flamengo goal in the first half, with both taking turns waving their flags and singing their chants. But in the 24th minute the Pyramids faithful were silenced after Leo Pereira’s header gave the Brazilian Serie A champions the lead.
It was captain Giorgian de Arrascaeta whose shot from a cross from a free kick was turned in by Pereira. The centre-back darted into the six-yard area without batting an eyelid as a deft glance of his head was enough to secure the lead.
Krunoslav Jurcic’s trailing side kept beating on Flamengo’s penalty area, and perhaps the best chance of the first half came in extra time.
Pyramids’ Mahmoud Zalaka stole the ball in his half before passing to Blati Toure. He then set out Mayele, who just had to beat Rossi. But Rossi stepped up to save the attacker’s failed attempt, preserving his team’s lead at half-time.
A light drizzle and mechanical sprinklers had dampened the field during the break. Although the rain stopped before the start of the second half, it was not Pyramids’ quest for an equalizer.
The trailing side looked bright in the first few minutes of the second half, but the spark was briefly extinguished when Flamengo doubled their lead in the 52nd minute.
Arrascaeta again became the provider from a free kick, but this time it was Danilo who was on target. He strolled to the edge of the six-yard box after being left unmarked and headed the ball into the near post, under Pyramids skipper and goalkeeper Ahmed El Shenawy.
Pyramids, now staring at a two-goal deficit and impending defeat, threw the kitchen sink at the match and had more chances (seven shots to Flamengo’s four) in the half, but simply couldn’t open the account that evening.
With the match well into extra time, the Pyramids fans who were in that cluster had long since left their seats, while the Flamengo supporters continued to sing long after the full-time whistle.
Published on December 14, 2025
