Will Kaizer Chiefs unleash Khama Billiat on Wydad on Saturday? Picture: Gavin Barker/BackpagePix.
Kaizer Chiefs tipped the scales in their favour with their 1-0 win over Wydad Casablanca in the Caf Champions League semifinal first leg on Saturday. Going to the second leg at FNB Stadium this Saturday, Chiefs have to be slight favourites to advance to the final.
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Their one goal advantage means the visitors from Casablanca will have to win in Johannesburg to go to the final. Some may still see Chiefs as underdogs, given the reputation Wydad have on the continent, and the fact that just as home ground advantage in Casablanca didn’t count as much without the fans, the same could be said for Johannesburg on Saturday.
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Wydad will also know is that Kaizer Chiefs have a goalkeeper, in Bruce Bvuma, who is perfectly capable of keeping them at bay, if Itumeleng Khune and Daniel Akpeyi are still on the sidelines.
Wydad will not know if Chiefs will opt for Khune this time around for his accurate distribution, to catch them with counter attacks, or if they will go with the physically imposing and dominant Akpeyi, or keep with the industrious Bvuma.
Wydad will just have to guess and that is good because it will limit their preparations as they will have to be reactionary in their approach to the game. They will have to see what Kaizer Chiefs come out with on the day Wydad will have to push for a goal and that could leave gaps at the back for Chiefs to exploit too.
With many regulars missing that game, they lost out on the chance of sizing Kaizer Chiefs up in their own backyard and getting the feel of FNB Stadium. All this also works in Amakhosi’s favour.
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