Caf Champions League: Why Kaizer Chiefs will stun Al Ahly – Otieno

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The former Harambee Star believes Amakhosi's struggles earlier this season will spur them on when they face the Red Devils

Former Kenya international Musa Otieno is confident Kaizer Chiefs will beat Al Ahly in the Caf Champions League final set for Saturday.

The South African giants will feature in their first-ever final of the African competition as they come up against the Egyptian giants, who are also the defending champions, at Stade Mohamed V in Morocco.

Otieno, who played for Santos in the South African Premier Soccer League between 1997 until 2011, and helped them win the PSL title in 2001-02, the Bob Save Super Bowl in 2001, the BP Top 8 in 2002, and the Absa Cup in 2003, believes the problems Chiefs experienced before reaching the final will inspire them to shock the favourites.

“For me, I think the game will be big for both teams, but Chiefs after what they went through in their campaign and their poor run of results in the domestic league, I think they just need to go for it, and I will say [Chiefs'] struggles to reach the final will spur them on against Al Ahly,” Otieno told Goal on Wednesday.

“If you look at Chiefs and if you watched their quarter-final game against Simba SC in Tanzania, they were a pale shadow of their self and coming up against Al Ahly, all they need to do now is to up their game, and also tighten their defence, the moment they lose the ball, they retreat back as a team.

“Against Wydad Casablanca [in the final group stage match], they were underrated because the Tunisian side opted to play their second team and Chiefs progressed, and I can say they now have a good squad of players, who can produce each and every situation, they only need to work on their defensive line, but I foresee them taking the trophy.

“For them [Chiefs] reaching the final with the problems they faced, even their head coach Gavin [Hunt] leaving, and they also had a bad run of results in the league, I believe they will be the surprise package in the final, they will stun Al Ahly.”

The former Harambee Stars captain also believes Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane will set a record in Africa should he clinch the trophy on Saturday.

“It will be a big game because there is the rivalry between the coaches, Al Ahly coach is coming from South Africa and Chiefs have coaches from South Africa, but it will be a big plus for Pitso [Mosimane] if he wins the game because he is under pressure to deliver since Al Ahly is not a small team,” Otieno continued.

“He [Mosimane] will achieve a lot if he wins it with Al Ahly and for Chiefs, we all know they did not start well in the competition this campaign despite reaching the final, but they have battled hard to reach there and they will want to end it on a high.”

In 2012, Mosimane was appointed to handle Mamelodi Sundowns and he won the 2016 Champions League with the Brazilians after defeating Egypt’s Zamalek 3-1 on aggregate, making them the second South African side to win it after Orlando Pirates in 1995.

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