By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Kaizer Chiefs held Wydad Casablanca to a 0-0 draw at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday evening, securing a place in the final of the CAF Champions League for the first time in the club’s history.
Chiefs won the tie 1-0 on aggregate and will face either reigning African champions Al Ahly or Esperance de Tunis in the final on July 17.
The Soweto giants had to rely on a solid defensive performance, fine goalkeeping from Daniel Akpeyi and a lack of cutting edge from their opponents, but their endeavour and determination more than merits a place in the continental showpiece.
Wydad created most of the attacking pressure in the opening quarter hour, though the first clear chance came from a Chiefs set-piece: a corner kick in the third minute picked out Samir Nurkovic, but the Serbian striker directed his shot wide of the near post.
The Moroccan team forced a couple of straightforward stops from goalkeeper Akpeyi, but the Nigerian was truly stretched in the 20th minute, producing an excellent one-handed save to turn away a long-range strike from Aymane El Hassouni which looked destined for the top corner.
Wydad opted for a change at the start of the second half, with drawing Tanzanian attacker Simon Msuva in favour of Libyan midfielder Muaid Ellafi. The latter teed up the next clear chance, whipping in a great cross in the 59th minute, but an unmarked Walid El Karti headed over the top.
On 62 minutes Chiefs almost killed off the tie with a goal from Nurkovic, but his headed effort toward the top corner was tipped away by Wydad goalkeeper Ahmed Tagnaouti in his first major involvement of the game.
Wydad were piling on the pressure with Ellaifi, Ayoub El Kaabi and Yahia Attiyat Allah all firing narrowly wide of Akpeyi’s goal.
Chiefs were clinging on, having to defend corner after corner but Siyabonga Ngezana and Mathoho were up to the task, dominating the aerial duel.
Their opponents in the final will be determined by the second-leg clash between Al Ahly and Esperance de Tunis in Cairo later on Saturday evening. The Egyptian hosts hold a 1-0 lead from the first leg.
Kick-off is at 21:00.