South Africa’s Kaizer Chiefs may be one of Africa’s most famous football clubs but they have never contested the continent’s elite club game – a dent in their reputation that they can put right this weekend.
On Saturday, the Soweto side protect a 1-0 lead at home to Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca in the second leg of the semi-final, knowing they can achieve history simply by avoiding defeat.
Chiefs are looking to become the third South African side to reach the final, after Mamelodi Sundowns (2001 & 2016) and great rivals Orlando Pirates (1995 & 2013).
Such a feat would atone for a disappointing domestic season, with Chiefs having finished eighth in the 16-team league – some 31 points behind champions Sundowns.
Until now, their sole success in the continental club game came when reaching their only final to date in 2001, when they beat Angola’s Interclube to win the African Cup Winners Cup.
Chiefs are amongst seasoned stalwarts in the last four, with opponents Wydad looking to reach the final for the third time in five years (and fifth overall) and to add to the title they last won four years ago.
The tournament’s record winners are of course Egyptian giants Al Ahly, whose triumph last year was their ninth – four better than anyone else.
The Cairo side also managed an away win in the first leg, winning 1-0 in Tunisia against an Esperance side looking to return to the final after missing out last year following African crowns in both 2018 and 2019.
The overall semi-final winners will meet in a one-legged final set for 17 July at the Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca.
Kaizer Chiefs v Wydad Casablanca
Kaizer Chiefs have goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma to thank for their lead going into the second leg.
A series of superb saves from the 26-year-old helped ensure victory in Casablanca and made it six clean sheets for Chiefs so far in this season’s Champions League.
Bvuma began the season last October as third choice behind Itumeleng Khune and Nigerian Daniel Akpeyi, but injuries gave him a chance to shine.
“His career is really taking off,” co-caretaker coach Arthur Zwane said of Bvuma. “His brilliance in Morocco has taken us within sight of the final.”
Zwane and co-coach Dillon Sheppard have spent this week warning Chiefs supporters that the tie against two-time champions Wydad is far from over.
“It is half-time and we are leading 1-0,” said Zwane. “I expect Wydad to come at us from the kick-off with all guns blazing, seeking an early goal to cancel our aggregate advantage.”
The co-caretaker coaches are set to be on the bench for the match while former Bafana Bafana boss Stuart Baxter will be in the stands as he waits for his work permit to allow him to take over Chiefs once again.
Wydad rested their first team for a midweek league win at Renaissance Berkane to ensure that their stars, such as Ayoub el Kaabi, will be fresh for the second leg at Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium.
“I cannot fault my players,” veteran coach Faouzi Benzarti said as he recalled the first leg. “They dominated the match but luck was not on our side.”
Wydad have yet to win a Champions League match in South Africa, drawing twice and losing twice against Mamelodi Sundowns over three seasons from 2017.
They were also beaten 1-0 by Chiefs in South Africa in this season’s group stage, although the Moroccans finished Group C four points clear of Saturday’s rivals.
Al Ahly v Esperance
Esperance supporters made themselves heard at a training session in Tunis this week as they expressed their disappointment with the first-leg loss.
Before that game, some hard-core Blood and Gold fans in the national stadium had taunted police, who responded by firing tear gas and stun grenades.
After their 2018 and 2019 titles, Esperance had hoped to land a record third consecutive title but those hopes were dashed by another Egyptian club, Zamalek, last year.
Now they are facing a second knockout-stage exit in as many seasons to a Cairo-based club, with Ahly just needing a draw to reach a record 14th Champions League final.
First leg match-winner Mohamed Sherif is the chief Ahly threat while Esperance hope Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane can add to his five goals in Africa this season.
Source: BBC
