Posted in News, Team News on Feb 03, 2021.
Kaizer Chiefs will kick off their first ever group stage campaign in the CAF Champions League with a trip to North Africa to face two times African Champions and four times CAF Champions League finalists Wydad Casablanca of Morocco. Chiefs reached the group stage of the CAF Champions League for the inaugural time after overcoming Cameroonian side PWD Bamenda and Angolan outfit Primeiro De Agosto. Amakhosi will face Wydad at the imposing Mohammed V Stadium in the picturesque setting of Casablanca bordering the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday, 13 February with kick-off set at 21:00 local time, which is 22:00 in South Africa.
Chiefs will return to Casablanca for the second time - they previously faced Wydad’s rivals, Raja Casablanca at the Imposing Mohammed V Stadium over two legs in the first round of the 2015 CAF Champions League. Amakhosi lost the first leg of that tie on 14 March 2015 in Durban 1-0 and then on 5 of April 2015 lost the second leg in Casablanca 2-0 for a 3-0 aggregate score. That was Chiefs’ only previous meetings against Moroccan opponents in CAF Club competitions.
Wydad coached by the experienced Tunisian Faouzi Benzarti who lead Esperance Sportive De Tunis of his homeland to the 1994 CAF Champions League title, will be facing South African opponents in the CAF Champions League for a fifth season in a row. Their meeting with Chiefs will be their 11th against a DStv Premiership team, although all 10 of their previous games in the competition against a South African team have been against Sundowns. Wydad’s record in those 10 games against Sundowns reads W4 D3 L3. They are yet to lose at home against a South African club with a home record of W4 D1 L0. They are also yet to win in South Africa.
Amakhosi did avoid losing in North Africa the 2001 CAF Cup Winners Cup when they went onto lift the trophy on that occasion. They drew 1-1 with Egyptian Club Ismaily in the second leg of the quarterfinals to win the tie on away goals. They also defeated Tunisian side Club Africain 1-0 in the second leg of the semi-final which resulted in an overall 3-0 aggregate win.
Last season Wydad went winless against South African opponents in the form of Sundowns in the group stages drawing their first game in December 2019 at home 0-0, while the Brazilians defeated them in February 2020 in the return game.
Chiefs will be looking to start with a positive result in Group C before their next two games against Guinean outfit Horoya and Angolan team Petro De Luanda which will be at home later in February and early March.
Chiefs will return to Casablanca for the second time - they previously faced Wydad’s rivals, Raja Casablanca at the Imposing Mohammed V Stadium over two legs in the first round of the 2015 CAF Champions League. Amakhosi lost the first leg of that tie on 14 March 2015 in Durban 1-0 and then on 5 of April 2015 lost the second leg in Casablanca 2-0 for a 3-0 aggregate score. That was Chiefs’ only previous meetings against Moroccan opponents in CAF Club competitions.
Wydad coached by the experienced Tunisian Faouzi Benzarti who lead Esperance Sportive De Tunis of his homeland to the 1994 CAF Champions League title, will be facing South African opponents in the CAF Champions League for a fifth season in a row. Their meeting with Chiefs will be their 11th against a DStv Premiership team, although all 10 of their previous games in the competition against a South African team have been against Sundowns. Wydad’s record in those 10 games against Sundowns reads W4 D3 L3. They are yet to lose at home against a South African club with a home record of W4 D1 L0. They are also yet to win in South Africa.
Amakhosi did avoid losing in North Africa the 2001 CAF Cup Winners Cup when they went onto lift the trophy on that occasion. They drew 1-1 with Egyptian Club Ismaily in the second leg of the quarterfinals to win the tie on away goals. They also defeated Tunisian side Club Africain 1-0 in the second leg of the semi-final which resulted in an overall 3-0 aggregate win.
Last season Wydad went winless against South African opponents in the form of Sundowns in the group stages drawing their first game in December 2019 at home 0-0, while the Brazilians defeated them in February 2020 in the return game.
Chiefs will be looking to start with a positive result in Group C before their next two games against Guinean outfit Horoya and Angolan team Petro De Luanda which will be at home later in February and early March.
