Morocco’s Stade Mohammad V, the home of Wydad and Raja Casablanca, welcomes Kaizer Chiefs and Al Ahly with open arms as two of the biggest clubs on the continent fight it out to be deemed as the kings of Africa.
The final of the CAF Champions League is almost here! Morocco’s Stade Mohammad V, the home of Wydad and Raja Casablanca, welcomes Kaizer Chiefs and Al Ahly with open arms as two of the biggest clubs on the continent fight it out to be deemed as the kings of Africa. With Pitso Mosimane renewing his rivalry with Amakhosi in the CAF Champions League final, it only means one thing this weekend: South Africa will be deemed as conquerors of Africa.
To Win Match (90 mins)
Kaizer Chiefs 5/2
Draw 22/10
Al Ahly 1/1
Kaizer Chiefs
Amakhosi defeated two-time African champions Wydad Casablanca 1-0 over two legs to reach the final for the first time in their history. The South African giants were unsurprisingly on the backfoot in both matches with Wydad having the better chances to win the game both home and away.
Throughout the tournament, the Glamour Boys have defied the odds to reach this stage of the competition, getting past a group which consisted of Wydad Casablanca, who they went on to oust later in the CAF Champions League, Petro de Luanda, and Horoya.
Chiefs then went on the knockout stages where they really made their mark on Champions League soil, hammering Simba SC 4-0 in the city of Johannesburg.
This will be Kaizer Chiefs’ second overall continental final appearance. They were crowned champions when they participated in the CAF African Cup Winners Cup, which formed part of the now-known CAF Confederations Cup.
Kaizer Chiefs had long been searching for their first Champions League winners’ medal and should they able to do that this weekend – it would raise the club back amongst the mix of the elite teams in Africa. Only a handful of teams have won both the CAF Confederations and CAF Champions League, so Amakhosi will be hoping to assert themselves in some decent company.
Al Ahly
Meanwhile, Al Ahly cruised into the final of the CAF Champions League at the expense of many neutrals’ favourite, Esperance. A 1-0 victory in Tunisia followed up with a 3-0 demolition in the city of Cairo, with the defending champions flexing their might on a whole new scale.
Pitso Mosimane is 90 minutes away from his third CAF Champions League title, and against a very familiar opponent, there may not be a better time to achieve the feat. Al Ahly will be overwhelming favourites against this Chiefs side, who, with all due respect, have had a torrid season to date – well, domestically at least.
The 2021 CAF Champions League final is fascinating in so many ways: two African heavyweights, two of the richest clubs on the continent, Kaizer Chiefs’ quest for its first-ever Champions League, a South African manager against a South African team, Al Ahly’s unbeaten record and, of course, it consists of players from Europe, South America, North and Southern Africa.
Is football coming home?
The books are giving a clear edge to the Egyptians. They are, after all, the reigning African champions and considered by many to be the best team on the continent.
After their poor start to the season and their recent stumbles, Chiefs simply don’t have the same standing. But that’s not to say this won’t be a tightly contested final.
Expect to see cautious teams, air-tight defences and very few scoring opportunities. There is more than enough reasons to believe this could be the case on Saturday.
Chiefs and Al Ahly conceded the fewest goals and both kept clean sheets aplenty en-route to the final. Both Kaizer Chiefs and Al Ahly didn’t concede in the semi-finals. Credit has to go the top-class defending and goalkeeping on either side, not to mention the tactical structure that both managers have devised to get the best out of them.
Prediction: Kaizer Chiefs to Lift Cup (11/10)
If there’s one thing that Kaizer Chiefs have proven is that they’ll always be up for the fight and cannot be written off against any opponent in Africa. No stage is too big for them and considering how much they’ve loved to play as underdogs this term, an upset definitely can’t be ruled out. The Glamour Boys have spoilt the party throughout the campaign and we are both rooting for Kaizer Chiefs to paint the continent black and gold this Saturday and win the CAF Champions League.
Written by Jesse Nagel & Banele Pikwa
