Johannesburg – Kaizer Chiefs’ CAF Champions League title hopes went up in smoke after Amakhosi were convincingly thrashed 3-0 by Egyptian powerhouse Al Ahly at the Mohamed V Stadium on Saturday night.
And it does not come sourer than, failing to give our late liberator and statesman Nelson Mandela a befitting birthday present as he was born on this day, July 18 1918 in Qunu, in Eastern Cape.
Indications that Chiefs’ aspirations to have a star on their jersey’s logo would be dealt a blow came to the fore when the Egyptians opened the scoreline through Mohamed Sherif’s right-footed shot from the right flank after receiving a pass from Akram Tawfik in the 53rd minute.
Al Ahly doubled their lead 11 minutes later as first goal scorer Sherif, set up Mohaamed Afsha, who did not hesitate to unleash a beauty from outside the box that rattled the top right corner of the net.
The Red Devil’s mission to kill the game, and Amakhosi, came in the 74th minute when Sherif made his second assist, this time to Amr El Soleya and the latter shot at the same top right corner spot.
Drama, drama, drama.
The sending off of Chiefs defender Happy Mashiane by Burundian referee Pacifique Ndabihawenimana for a hard tackle at the stroke of half time was a big blow for Chiefs.
Ndabihawenimana ensured he made the correct decision by consulting the video assistant referee monitor and that signalled an uphill battle for Chiefs, eventually leading to their downfall.
After qualifying for their first ever CAF Champions League final, Chiefs went into this game looking at making history by winning the title after five previous attempts at the African inter-club honours.
While the Egyptian giants and defending champions Al Ahly had won the trophy nine times before last night and were contesting the final for a record 14th time, Chiefs on the other hand savoured the moment of playing on the big African club football stage for first time.
Many among the millions of supporters of both sides, knew in their hearts that Chiefs were the underdogs, and it would take guts to pull off an upset against the Mohamed el Shenawy-captained Red Devils of Cairo.
The Amakhosi troops were led by seasoned forward, veteran Bernard Parker who prides himself on having scored the all-important semi-final goal away in Casablanca against Wydad Athletic Club last month.
Dismissed as rank outsiders when the Champions League campaign started in November last year, the South Africans held their own, defying all odds to become finalist and most importantly, reach this milestone.
Mention Chiefs and Al Ahly on the continent you are not going to get blank stares; the two sides that clashed for honours in this year’s edition of the competition are household names, they are actually the biggest names in African football.
However, it is the manner in which they had avoided meeting on the pitch in the past that made this final more interesting. The last time Chiefs played Al Ahly in a continental final was in 2002 CAF Super Cup, at which the Egyptians won 4-1. The match up came after Amakhosi won the now defunct African Cup Winners’ Cup, the previous in 2001.
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