Kaizer Chiefs, Pitso Mosimane’s paths cross in CAF Champions League final

Pitso Mosimane, coach of Al Ahly, and his bench react to a decision during their CAF Champions League semi-final second leg against Esperance. Picture: BackpagePix

Pitso Mosimane, coach of Al Ahly, and his bench react to a decision during their CAF Champions League semi-final second leg against Esperance. Picture: BackpagePix

Published Jun 26, 2021

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CAPE TOWN - Kaizer Chiefs will come face to face with a familiar foe in Pitso Mosimane when they face Al Ahly in the final of the CAF Champions League.

Chiefs reached the final for the first time on Saturday despite being held 0-0 at home by Moroccan outfit Wydad Casablanca.

Chiefs won the semi-final 1-0 on aggregate after a shock first-leg victory in north Africa last weekend through a goal from Serbian Samir Nurkovic.

On July 17 in Casablanca, Chiefs will face title-holders Al Ahly of Egypt, who beat 10-man Esperance of Tunisia 3-0 in Cairo to complete a 4-0 overall victory after winning 1-0 away.

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Al Ahly is of course coached by South African guru Mosimane, who won the competition with the Egyptian giants last season.

It will be the second meeting between Chiefs and Ahly with goalkeeper Essam el Hadary scoring off a clearing kick when the Cairo Red Devils triumphed 4-1 at home in the 2002 CAF Super Cup match.

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In Cairo, Esperance suffered a huge blow when Ilyes Chetti was red-carded just before Ali Maaloul converted a 38th-minute penalty to put Ahly ahead in another spectator-less match due to Covid-19.

Any hopes of a comeback by the Tunisian team vanished in the four minutes leading up to the hour as Mohamed Sherif scored his fifth goal of the campaign and Hussein el Shahat his first.

AFP