Chiefs’ Billiat looks for a repeat of that Champions League winning feeling

Khama Billiat is hoping to replicate a feeling he knows well by winning the Caf Champions League with Kaizer Chiefs when they face Al Ahly in the final on July 17 in Casablanca.

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Billiat won the Champions League around five years ago with Mamelodi Sundowns, Pitso Mosimane’s side beating another Cairo giant, Zamalek, over two legs to take the title. Mosimane, ironically enough, is now head coach at Ahly, and Chiefs will be underdogs against the defending champions, who are going for a tenth Champions League crown.

Chiefs have been defying the odds all tournament, however, on the back of a poor domestic display, where they only just finished inside the top eight in the DStv Premiership and that was after they sacked head coach Gavin Hunt.

“I have had this journey before,” said Billiat, who was a key member of Mosimane’s Masandawana side that also defied expectations to win the title in 2016.

“And I know how difficult it is and I know how great the feeling can be at the end. It is a movie that has happened before (for me) and I am glad to be where I am right now. I am looking forward to going all the way with the team and to create great memories with this great club (Chiefs).”

Billiat has battled with injuries this season, and has not played for Chiefs since the end of April. He is closing in on full fitness now, but it remains to be seen if he is ready to play Ahly on Saturday at the Stade Mohhamed V – this year the Champions League final is a one off match being played on neutral territory.

The Zimbabwean has not played in the Champions League since the group stages, but he did make his mark, scoring a crucial equaliser in a 2-2 draw in Guinea against Horoya that enabled Chiefs to make the quarterfinals.

“We started with a plan, we pushed forward, knowing a goal would come, it was actually a great move (my goal) from (Nkosingiphile) Ngcobo, to (Dumisani) Zuma on the left side. It was a great combination and I kept on praying when the move was happening that I could be in the right position … and it happened. It was a great cross from Zuma, I didn’t need to do much.”

“These are memories we are going to tell our kids about and we want to perfect it in the final, and make sure we stick to the plan the coach is showing us (against Ahly). We believe the plan is going to give us a great result. It is not going to be easy, it is ia good side we are facing in the final, but we can only give it away if we don’t apply certain things that can make a difference in the game – being in the right spaces, managing the spaces, and making sure we stick to the game-plan.”