CAF Champions League

Everything Baxter did, we predicted – Mosimane

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Al Ahly players celebrate with trophy during the 2021 CAF Champions League Final between Kaizer Chiefs and Al Ahly at the Mohamed V Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco on 17 July 2021 ©BackpagePix
  • Post published:July 18, 2021

Al Ahly head coach Pitso Mosimane says that his side predicted the tactics of Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter in Saturday’s 3-0 win over Amakhosi in the Caf Champions League final, but he did praise Chiefs’ special run to the final.

Pitso’s charger romped home to an impressive win over Chiefs on Saturday to secure their second successive continental title under Mosimane and the clubs tenth overall.

Goals from Sherif, Afsha, and El-Sulya guided Ahly past a Chiefs side who struggled following the 45th minute red card of Happy Mashiane.

Speaking after the game, as quoted by KingFut.com, Pitso admitted his mind has already shifted towards the Fifa Club World Cup.

“We really needed to win this tournament and I think Kaizer Chiefs was good in the first half until the sending off, but it’s part of football.

“We scored three goals, and Al Ahly deserve to make history and achieve the tenth Champions League title.

“If you qualify for the Champions League final, you first have to think about the match, and then you think about the Club World Cup.

“We are now waiting to go back to the World Cup. Last season, we won a medal and we played against Bayern Munich, and I think the adventure is great for us.

“We beat the South American champions and I don’t know why we play more matches than them, FIFA must reconsider this matter.

The former Bafana Bafana coach also revealed that they had predicted how Stuart Baxter would approach the match, but praised all those involved in their historic run to the final.

“Everything Baxter did, we predicted. We were able to follow Kaizer Chiefs through the team of analysts inside the club, and we were able to play in the usual way for us.

“I respect Kaizer Chiefs. I respect Gavin Hunt who led the team to the semi-finals because he doesn’t get the praise he deserves and I praise Baxter for leading the team into the final.

“I played against a team that I supported when I was young, which is Kaizer Chiefs. I was raised near the club and I have great respect for the club, and no club qualifies for the Champions League final easily.

“I would like to dedicate the title to Mahmoud El-Khatib because he trusted and believed in me, instead of going to Europe to bring in a European coach, but he believed that an African coach could achieve the success that a European coach does.

“Africa has the resources to make good football, instead of big clubs bringing coaches from Europe, they should support African coaches,” he concluded.