Fagrie Lakay off the mark with brace for Pyramids FC

Bafana Bafana forward Fagrie Lakay bagged a brace of goals as his Egyptian side Pyramids FC defeated Zanaco 2-0 in the Caf Confederation Cup group stages on Sunday.

Lakay will be delighted to break his duck at the club in what was his third appearance for the team since making the January move from Cape Town City. Egypt international winger Ramadan Sobhi slipped in a neat through-ball for Lakay’s opener as the Bafana Bafana forward showed his pace to break free of the defender and supply a calm finish.

It was much the same again as the speedy forward added a second seven minutes from time, again sent clear of the Zanaco defence, this time by midfielder Abdallah El-Said. He rounded the goalkeeper to score. Lakay, who made his professional debut for Cape Town club Santos as a 15-year-old under Dutch coach Mart Nooij and is also the youngest ever Bafana international, was recalled to the national team squad last year by Hugo Broos.

“It is a good feeling to see the work and the performances I have been putting in have been recognised. That is all you want as a player. I will always give my best for the national team,” Lakay recently told TimesLIVE.

“I feel like the recall has come at a good time for where I am in my football career. I don’t know what the future holds, but I will give my best any time the national team calls me.”

He feels he is more mature as a player compared to the teenager who debuted for Bafana at 17.

“As a player, the more you play and the older you get, you need to learn and improve your game. That is something I have focused on.

“Especially just getting into the box, because if you want to score goals, you need to be in the box. That is what the best strikers in the world do. Yes, I am quick and have pace, but I don’t need to use it all the time. If I am in the box at the right time, that is where I will get my goals.”

He will have the chance to show that in the tough and demanding Egyptian Premier League and African club competition. Pyramids were finalists in the Confederation Cup in 2020 but lost 1-0 to Morocco's RS Berkane. They reached the semifinals again last year but exited on penalties at the hands of eventual winners Raja Casablanca.

They are top of the Egyptian league following an unbeaten start with 20 points from eight games, one ahead of Pitso Mosimane’s Al Ahly, though they have played one match more.   

TimesLIVE