Former Kaizer Chiefs winger Junior Khanye has described Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane as a genius who is lucky and will plot a 2-0 victory over the Soweto giants on Saturday.
Chiefs and Al Ahly clash in the Caf Champions League final at Stade Mohamed V Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco.
Mosimane is a two-time Champions League winner, having guided Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly to continental glory.
“Chiefs are playing against a mastermind in Pitso, a genius. If he is tested, he has a way of responding,” said Khanye on iDiski TV.
“He is lucky, naturally he is chosen. He arrived at Al Ahly with three Champions League games remaining and he won it. One would ask how he did it. He was faced with luck. Kaizer Chiefs will be playing against a person who is chosen. Pitso’s team is compact and they play with high intensity from the first whistle. I see Al Ahly winning 2-0.
Next Match
“Pitso knows Chiefs and he is a fortunate guy, he is lucky. Miracles have happened to Pitso. There is too much quality in his team and most players are experienced.”
For Mosimane, it will be a resumption of his rivalry against Chiefs since he started coaching in the Premier Soccer League at SuperSport United.
He has also had some confrontations against Amakhosi coach Stuart Baxter who will be coaching in the Champions League final for the first time.
Khanye feels Saturday’s battle will be a David versus Goliath affair.
‘It is going to be a tough game. Talent is not enough. Yes you need talent but you need big-hearted players more,” Khanye said.
“It’s a David and Goliath affair. I will say things as they are, Al Ahly have the upper hand. They play convincingly and it is not a mistake for them being where they are. For Kaizer Chiefs you try to understand how they got here because they were not convincing in some games especially when Wydad Casablanca brought a B team [in the group stage] and they also didn’t come with their coach.
“Kaizer Chiefs won that match. Chiefs also won away at Wydad and they didn’t play well. But their defence was better. Their team had no balance, the midfield was not functioning going forward and never created any chances. They waited for Wydad to make a mistake and Wydad did make a mistake.
“Chiefs sat back the whole game and had one shot on target against around 16 Wydad shots. So statistics do not lie although it is the results that count the most. This is a final and there is no first or second leg.”
Chiefs coach Baxter will be sitting on the bench on Saturday after finally being granted his work permit.
