• Fakhouri: From “vaccines” to his first continental appearance

Jordanian football fans are turning their eyes to Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Oyo, Nigeria, on Sunday evening, as Egyptian side Pyramids face a tough away test against Rivers United in the fifth round of the CAF Champions League group stage.

The match carries special significance for Jordanian supporters, as it will mark the official continental debut of young star Odeh Fakhouri in the “Sky Blue” jersey.

After missing Pyramids’ last league match against Smouha due to medical and logistical reasons, Fakhouri is now fully fit and ready to launch his professional journey in Africa.

The club’s medical staff had rested him previously to follow the strict “vaccine protocol” for African trips, ensuring he avoided any physical strain. With his fitness restored and full integration into team training, the technical staff is counting on Fakhouri to strengthen the midfield in this challenging continental fixture.

The headline-making transfer Fakhouri’s move to Pyramids followed a “marathon” competition with Egypt’s Al Ahly and Saudi Arabia’s Al-Riyadh, with Pyramids ultimately securing his signing for $450,000 from Al-Hussein. He signed a two-and-a-half-year contract worth a total of $800,000. Jordanian fans hope he will represent the “Nashama” well in African competitions and help lead his new team to trophies.

Administrative support and title ambitions In a motivational gesture, Pyramids’ advisory council—including Ahmed Saad, Mahmoud Farag, and Mahmoud Hussein—traveled with the squad to boost morale before departure. The council expressed full confidence in the team’s ability to defend its continental title, emphasizing that Pyramids has become a force to be reckoned with in Africa. They dismissed the recent domestic slip against Smouha as a minor setback, confident the squad—led by new signing Fakhouri—will overcome it.

Pyramids’ path in the group Pyramids enter the match atop their group after a strong campaign that started with a 3-0 win over Rivers United, followed by victories over Zambia’s Power Dynamos, and results against Morocco’s Renaissance Berkane. The team aims to repeat its success against the Nigerian champions to secure qualification and maintain its lead in the group, despite the heavy domestic and continental schedule.