African Champions League: Al Ahly Seeks 10th Title
Holders Al Ahly are favourites to continue their remarkable dominance of the African club game on Saturday evening as they face South Africa’s Kaizer Chiefs in Morocco.
The Egyptians are looking to win a record-extending 10th African crown against a side in their first final and trying to overcome poor domestic form.
Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane is expecting a tough clash in Casablanca against the team from his home nation.
“Their strength is on crosses, set pieces and they’ve got big boys, so that’s what Chiefs are doing,” the South African, who has already won the trophy twice as coach said.
“Chief are not too much of a ball-playing team, they keep it safe behind and (try to) use one chance to score. Ball possession doesn’t win you games, you know, so that’s what they’ve been doing”, he added.
Ahly are in a record 14th final, and fifth in the last decade, which is in marked contrast to their South African opponents.
If the Cairo giants win, they will have double the number of titles achieved by Africa’s next best clubs – city rivals Zamalek and DR Congo’s TP Mazembe.
Underdogs
Chiefs’ solitary continental triumph came 20 years ago in the now-defunct African Cup Winners’ Cup.
Now they have reached the biggest game of their 50-year history at the end of, ironically, one of their worst ever seasons, hoping to end an unprecedented run of six years without any silverware.
They plummeted to uncharted domestic depths, finishing eighth in the Premier Soccer League – 31 points behind champions Mamelodi Sundowns.
However, Al Ahly remain the favourites as they are in good form and unbeaten in their 11 games.
They have lost just two league matches this season and sit second in the table, trailing Zamalek by 10 points but with four games in hand.
BBC/Nneka Ukachukwu
