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Bvuma says Chiefs will be ready for Wydad clash

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Itumeleng Khune with Bruce Bvuma of Kaizer Chiefs during the Absa Premiership 2019/20 match between Kaizer Chiefs and Chippa United at the Orlando Stadium, Soweto on the 02 September 2020 ©Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix

Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma says Amakhosi are feeling mentally and physically fresh heading into Saturday’s Caf Champions League semi-final first leg against Wydad Casablanca.

Chiefs face off against Wydad in the first leg of the semi-final at Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca on Saturday night (8pm in Morocco, 9pm SA time), as the Soweto giants look to take the first step towards their first-ever Champions League final.

Chiefs, however, have not played for some time, with their final 2020-21 DStv Premiership game a 1-0 win over TS Galaxy at Mbombela Stadium on 5 June.

Their opponents, however, are still in the midst of a title race in Morocco’s top flight, with Botola still having three matches to complete the season.

Wydad won 5-3 away against Hassania Agadir this past Sunday and meet Renaissance Zemamra at home on Wednesday night. They have a big match away to RSB Berkane on Wednesday next week, ahead of the second leg against Chiefs at FNB Stadium on 26 June.

With one side building momentum and the other resting to come in fresh, Chiefs keeper Bvuma admitted that it could be beneficial either way.

‘For me, it’s 50/50. On our side we are well rested,’ the goalkeeper – enjoying a rare run of game time while Itumeleng Khune has been injured, and keeping Daniel Akpeyi on the bench – said ahead of Amakhosi’s departure on Wednesday.

‘We played a while ago and we’ve had a week or two to prepare for this one. Mentally and physically we are fresh, and I feel like we’ll be ready for them.

‘Yes, they have been playing, which is good for them. But, for me, it’s 50/50 because anything can happen, like injuries and you can get tired from playing.’

Wydad put four past Chiefs in neutral Burkina Faso in the group stage. Amakhosi, who ended second to the Moroccan outfit in Group C, won the return match with nine men. Wydad, though, having reached the quarter-finals, brought a second-string team to Johannesburg and without coach Faouzi Benzarti, who was receiving his Covid-19 vaccination.

‘We know them very well, we played them in the group stages, so I feel that’s good for us,’ Bvuma said.

‘We’ve been working very hard on defending, and we know their strengths and weaknesses.’

Caretaker-coaches Arthur Zwane and Dillon Sheppard will take charge of the semi on the bench for Chiefs while new head coach Stuart Baxter awaits his work permit. Baxter and new head of technical Molefi Ntseki left with Chiefs on Wednesday as part of the brains trust in the travelling party to Casablanca.