Finalists Kaizer Chiefs and Al Ahly will kick off the 2021 CAF Champions League final match this evening at Mohammed V Stadium in Morocco’s capital, Casablanca. Chiefs reached the final after beating Moroccan team Wydad Athletic in the two-legged semi-final in June.

After watching the semi-finals from the stands as he was waiting for his work permit to be granted, Amakhosi will have new coach Stuart Baxter sitting on the bench for the first time after his return to the team.

The new coach has made only two changes to the team when compared to the last game against Wydad. Experienced campaigner Ramahlwe Mphahlele replaces Siyabonga Ngezana in defence. Another change will see Yagan Sasman make way for Happy Mashiane.

Chiefs will see Bruce Bvuma, Leonardo Castro and Khama Billiat return but they will sit on the bench. Lebogang Manyama and Dumsani Zuma will miss the game as they have not recovered from injury.

Chiefs will apply a 4-5-1 formation against the defending champions this evening.

Goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi will start in goal for Chiefs. He will be working with Ramahlwe Mphahlele on the right, while Mulomowandau Mathoho and Daniel Cardoso will play at the centre of Amakhosi’s defence.  The versatile Reeve Frosler will play on the left of Amakhosi’s backline.

In midfield, Chiefs will have Willard Katsande and Njabulo Blom combining with Bernard Parker, Nkosingiphile Ngcobo and Mashiane.

Samir Nurković will lead the attack for Amakhosi.

Bernard Parker will wear the captain’s armband for this last game of the season.

The referee for this evening’s CAF Champions League final is Pacifique Ndabihawenimana from Burundi. He will have Elvis Guy Noupue Nguegoue as his first assistant and Lee Okello from Uganda will be the second assistant.

The Fourth official is Eric Arnaud Otogo Castane from Gabon.

The match Commissioner is Alim Konate Aboubakar from Cameroon and the referees’ assessor is Raphael Evehe Divine Cameroon.

The match’s general coordinator is Khaled Lemkecher from Tunisia.

Just as was the case in the semi-finals, there will be VAR technology to assist the match officials in the final of this year’s Champions League final.

The CAF Champions League final between Amakhosi and Al Ahly will kick off at 20:00 (21:00 in SA) at Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca. There will be no spectators allowed in the stadium. The game will be live on SuperSport Channel 202 and SABC 1. It will also be available on CAF online platforms, with regular updates of the match on Twitter @KaizerChiefs.

Line-ups:

Chiefs XI:  Akpeyi (1); Cardoso (4), Mathoho (3); Mphahlele (2), Frosler (23) Blom (12), Katsande (14), Parker © (25), Ngcobo (15), Mashiane (19), Nurković (9)

Subs: Bvuma (26);  Zulu (22), Sasman (20), Ntiya-Ntiya (27), Ngezana (30)  Agay (5), Billiat (11), Castro (8), Kambole (7)

Coach: Stuart Baxter

Ahly XI: El Shenawy (1); H Fathy (8), M Sheriff (10), A Ashraf (12), Benoun (13), H. Elshahat (14), A Elsoulia (17), Afsha (19), Maaloul (21), A Tawfik (25), Taher (27),

Subs: A Lotfy (16), M. Wahid (2), Yasser (6), Kharaba (7), Marwan (9), Dieng (15), Salah (18), Ajay (28), M Hany (30)

Coach: Pitso Mosimane