by Benjamin Nyirenda
Given their showing in the DSTV Premiership in the last season, no one would have thought Kaizer Chiefs could perform better or better yet go all the way to the final of the CAF Champions League. This is the view of Chiefs veteran midfielder Willard Katsande, who adds that no one gave Amakhosi a chance and that it is more of a surprise that Chiefs did indeed reach the final.
Speaking after Chiefs edged Moroccan side Wydad AC in the second-leg of the CAF Champions League semi-final, the Zimbabwean said that they knew that if they don’t concede at home and score away they would have a chance of winning and proceeding and that’s what they did against Cameroonian side and then Angolan side and they qualified for the group stages where they were drawn against Horoya, Pedro Luanda and Wydad AC who he said are very good sides who have been doing well in the Champions League and that’s why people didn’t give them any chance.
“We drew with Horoya and lost 4-0 to Wydad and at the same time we were not doing well in the domestic league. It was painful to our supporters as people were saying that the team was crumbling. Even though we lost to Wydad away we kept on believing that we can do it and that’s why we qualified for the Quarterfinals where we were drawn against Simba FC of Tanzania and, again people didn’t given us the chance but we won the home game and even though we lost 3-0 in the return leg we qualified for the semifinals where we were to meet Wydad again, ” said Katsande.
Katsande added that they knew that if they were to progress to the final they would had to do better in the away game against Wydad than they did in the group stages and the players trained hard and were focused on winning away while at the same time they were fighting for the top eight position in the DStv Premiership which they achieved on the last day of the season.
“When we went to Morocco for the semifinals first leg, the master tactician told us that we have to work hard and execute the game plan whether win, lose or draw he would be happy as long as we gave their best which we did,” he added.
He said on Saturday at the FNB Stadium they could not attack the way they wanted because it’s a game of football and it’s competitive but they are happy they reached the finals and became the forth team in the history of the CAF Champions League to reach the finals without conceding at home.
He says though they haven’t won it yet but they are humbled by just reaching the finals and will go there with the aim to win but for now they will take a day or two to rest before returning to training to start preparing for the finals against Al Ahly which is coached by South African born mentor Pitso Mosimane who himself has won the Champions League twice. In 2016 with Mamelodi Sundowns and in 2020 with his current club Al Ahly.