Pitso hails ‘unbelievable feeling’ as Al Ahly conquer Africa again
"Al Ahly trusted me to deliver the trophy, and the trophy is delivered," said the South African head coach of the Cairo giants.
Ahly’s coach Pitso Mosimane (C) reacts following the winning goal during the CAF Champions League Final football match between Egyptian sides Zamalek and Al-Ahly at the Cairo International Stadium in Egypt’s capital on November 27, 2020. Pic: Khaled DESOUKI / AFP
Pitso Mosimane said he felt “amazing” after guiding Al Ahly to the Caf Champions League title on Friday evening in Cairo, their first victory in the competition in seven years.
READ MORE: Pitso leads Al Ahly to Champions League glory
Ahly beat Cairo rivals Zamalek 2-1 in a one-off final at the Cairo International Stadium, with what is normally a two-legged affair reduced to one match in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.
Mosimane is now only the third coach to win the Caf Champions League with two different clubs after also lifting the title with Mamelodi Sundowns in 2016.
He will now also lead Ahly at a rescheduled 2020 Fifa Club World Cup in Qatar in February of next year.
“It is an unbelievable feeling, amazing, not everyone can win the Champions League,” said Mosimane, who joined Ahly in October and guided them through a two-legged semifinal against Wydad Casablanca, before Afsha Magdy grabbed a late winner against Zamalek on Friday.
“It was a difficult match, a Cairo derby but we feel good … in the first half Zamalek were good, they played better than us … but in the second half we were more industrious and stronger physically and mentally and won the game.”
Mosimane did note that he had taken over at the semifinal stage, with much of the good work already done by previous coach Rene Weiler. But he was happy to have finally broken a seven-year itch for the club, who have extended their record to eight Champions League titles in total.
“The team was already in the semifinals, but that is why we were here, for the Champions League, we expected to win. Al Ahly is a big team and if we don’t believe we can win, why are we here? That is not to say it was easy, we played a very good team, but at the end of the day it was a cup final and bragging rights are ours.
“It is historical, Al Ahly have waited seven years and I was telling the players ‘let’s write new history. It had been history from teams with the likes of Mohamed Aboutrika and Wael Gomaa … we believed we could win it and we believe we can defend it next year. I feel good … Al Ahly trusted me to deliver the trophy, and the trophy is delivered.”
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