The heat is on: underdog tag may suit Chiefs in Champs League final

Kaizer Chiefs arrived from the midwinter freeze in Johannesburg to a hot and humid Casablanca‚ where their only focus is on winning the Caf Champions League final‚ said winger Happy Mashiane.

Chiefs‚ having never reached the group stage‚ may be the rank underdogs against nine-time and defending champions Al Ahly at Stade Mohamed V on Saturday‚ but that is perhaps the biggest advantage they have‚ and they are keyed up to maximise it.

For Amakhosi‚ reaching the Champions League final is already a victory‚ and they have less to lose than Ahly‚ whose supporters would be livid at a defeat to complete outsiders.

The trip was fine. It’s just that it was long and you get tired‚ and most of the time you have to walk around stretching.

—  Kaizer Chiefs winger Happy Mashiane

Perhaps Chiefs’ biggest source of pressure is they would love to avoid a sixth season trophyless in this most unexpected of final appearances. After a long trip via Lagos to reach Morocco‚ arriving late on Wednesday night‚ Mashiane said Chiefs dusted off the cobwebs in their first training session on Thursday afternoon.

“We arrived on Wednesday night. The weather here is humid and hot. We had to adjust and things are going well for now‚” the SA U-23 international winger said. “The trip was fine. It’s just that it was long and you get tired‚ and most of the time you have to walk around stretching.

“We’re well-prepared and mentally everything is fine.”

Another potential advantage for Chiefs is that they finished their domestic season six weeks ago‚ and have been able to rest‚ and then focus entirely on the final. Ahly‚ who have 11 games left in an Egyptian Premier League season running late due to Covid-19‚ will have match practice but have also had little recuperation time in a gruelling campaign.

Mashiane said after the rest, Chiefs were put through their paces intensely in their preparations for the final by the technical staff. “We have worked hard to reach the final‚” he said. “We have promised many people we will bring the trophy home, so now we just have to work extra hard for that.”

Chiefs ended eighth in the DStv Premiership. Pitso Mosimane’s Ahly are 10 points behind bitter Cairo rivals Zamalek in the Egyptian league‚ but with four games in hand.