(BSS/AFP) - Title-holders Pyramids of Egypt cruised into the final qualifying round of the 2025-26 CAF Champions League on Sunday after beating APR of Rwanda 3-0 in Cairo.

The dominant performance, coupled with a 2-0 first round, first leg win in Kigali last Wednesday, gave the defending champions a 5-0 aggregate victory in the premier African club competition.

It was the third consecutive season in which the clubs have met in the qualifying phase for the 16-club group competition.

Pyramids won 6-1 on aggregate in 2023 and 4-2 overall last season. Not ranked among the favourites, the Cairo outfit went on to upset Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa 3-2 over two legs in the 2024-25 final.

Mostafa Ziko put Pyramids in front against APR after 43 minutes in the Egyptian capital. Ahmed Atef and Mohamed Hamdy then scored within two minutes midway through the second half.

Pyramids are due to play Insurance in Ethiopia between October 17-19, but a new date will have to be found as they meet Renaissance Berkane of Morocco that weekend for the CAF Super Cup.

The home win over APR was the fourth in a row in international competitions for Pyramids under 55-year-old Croatian coach Krunoslav Jurcic.

Before overcoming APR, Pyramids beat Auckland City of New Zealand and Al Ahly of Saudi Arabia to secure a FIFA Challenger Cup play-off against Cruz Azul of Mexico or the South American champions.

Qatar will host the play-off on December 13 and the winners face UEFA Champions League title-holders Paris Saint-Germain four days later in the Intercontinental Cup final.

In another CAF Champions League second leg, Saint-Eloi Lupopo from the Democratic Republic of Congo forced a 0-0 draw away to Al Merrikh of Sudan to advance 1-0 on aggregate.

Lupopo will face Orlando Pirates of South Africa in the final qualifying round.