Not only has Kaizer Chiefs’ magical run in the competition seen them reach their first-ever CAF Champions League final
Not only has Kaizer Chiefs’ magical run in the competition seen them reach their first-ever CAF Champions League final, but they have also managed to achieve a few milestones along the way.
Chiefs will take on Al Ahly in the final of the continental showpiece, that will be played at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca on July 17.
Their road to the final was far from rosy, particularly owing to their dismal league form, and the departure of coach Gavin Hunt at a crucial stage of the competition.
But Amakhosi soldiered on and under the guidance of assistant coaches Arthur Zwane, and Dillan Sheppard – and in the semi-final coach Stuart Baxter, managed to reach the pinnacle of continental football.
We take a look at six milestones reached by Chiefs on their way to the CAF CL final.
Kaizer Chiefs kept their seventh clean of the CAF Champions League campaign, more than any other team this season.
Daniel Akpeyi has not conceded a goal in a single CAF Champions League match this season. The Nigerian goalkeeper featured in six matches in total and has a 100% record of not conceding in over seven hours of football.
Chiefs are just the third team since 1997 to make it all the way to the CAF Champions League final without conceding a goal at home, following Esperance (1999, 2011) and Al Ahly (2007).
By defeating Wydad Casablanca in the semi-finals, Chiefs became the first South African club to eliminate a Moroccan side in the knockout stage of an African club competition, this has never happened before.
Chiefs became the first team to finish the season in 8th place in their league campaign and reach the CAF Champions League final.
Chiefs assistant coach Arthur Zwane was still a player when the club reached their first African Cup Winners Cup final in 2001. 20 years later, he is the first assistant coach to reach two cup finals as a player and a coach.
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