A brave 10-man Kaizer Chiefs fell short at the final hurdle as Pitso Mosimane’s formidable Al Ahly side clinched a convincing 3-0 win to defend their CAF Champions League crown at the Mohamed V Stadium on Saturday, July 17, 2021.
Chiefs started brightly on the early stages as they held their own in the opening 20 minutes with Mashiane particularly dangerous as an inverted winger on the left flank.
Mohamed Sherif scored his sixth goal of the competition after 53 minutes to put the Cairo Red Devils ahead at an empty Stade Mohammed V because of the coronavirus pandemic.
A brilliant goal from Mohamed ‘Afsha’ Magdy on 64 minutes left little doubt about the outcome in a disappointing finale to the marquee African club competition.
Amr el Sulaya rubbed salt into the wounds of Chiefs with a third goal on 74 minutes, slamming a back-heel past Nigerian goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi.
With no fans allowed, the magnitude of the final as an occasion perhaps failed to transfer as a spectacle as both teams eased into contest with the lack of atmosphere.
It was a historic victory for Ahly, who became the first club to win back-to-back Champions League titles three times.
South Africa-born Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane, who supported Chiefs as a child, became the first African coach to win the competition three times.
