JOHANNESBURG - IT is no longer just about Kaizer Chiefs, but South Africa now.
Will this be a boon or burden for Amakhosi as they take on Al Ahly in the Champions League final in Casablanca on Saturday?
In wishing the Glamour Boys well as they prepared for an assault on the continent’s premier club knockout competition, minister of sport Nathi Mthethwa said yesterday that Chiefs’ mission extended beyond just adding a star to their jersey to emulate Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns.
“Your success will bring back home much more than just the Cup,” Mthethwa said in Twitter message.
“It will also offer much needed positivity in the face of the devastating Covid pandemic.”
As if overcoming the reigning African champions was not too tough a mission for the rookie finalists whose progress to this stage has generally been deemed as somewhat fortuitous, Chiefs having surprised all and sundry given their poor domestic form this season.
They are aware of what is at stake though, and they are ready to heed the call to uplift the nation.
As it is, Dumisani Zuma is of the view success seems to be preordained for Chiefs.
“We believe that this tournament may be God-given to us. The team has been through tough times, but we can’t question God,” Zuma said.
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“It just looks like it is our time and as long as we keep holding each other, fighting for each other and go to the final with the same team spirit. We will play for everyone, the fans, our families, the club and the chairman. We know that people want to be made happy.”
Add to that pressure to deliver the fact that they are facing opposition eager to not only hold on to their title, but to add a 10th such success to the club’s books and you wonder just where Chiefs will find the motivation to overcome the favourites.
But Zuma has seen Amakhosi’s best in this tournament, enough to know that they have it in them to pull off one last surprise.
“There wasn’t any easy game in this journey, from the playoffs (preliminary round). I think what worked for us was that most of the teams we faced somehow undermined us. But we knew what we are capable of, so we were motivated to give 100% in every game we played, even if the results were not what we wanted. We had this thing that every game we play, win or lose, we give 100 percent,” Zuma said.
“I’m happy that we managed to get here as a team to be going to play in the final. Truthfully, it wasn’t easy. The pressure was immense, especially given how tough things were for us in the league. But we always knew we had a good team because this is the same team that nearly won the league (last season). So we were good enough to achieve anything or win anything at any time.”
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Zuma believes the defeat to Wydad AC in the group stage was a blessing in disguise.
“The matches were a lot and tough. Wydad away was a wake-up call to us and we learnt that there’s hard work to be done and everyone raised their hands and we started to play. When we played against Horoya, they had a good record at home, but we managed to play them and qualify for the quarter-finals. I can say everyone was committed.”
That commitment is going to have to come to the fore one last time this weekend, what with their mission now having taken on national importance as per the minister’s statement.
“I speak for our entire nation as we are all rooting for you to be crowned champions of Africa. As a nation we urge the team to dig deep and remain resolute to complete the journey they started. Go for gold. Bring it home,” Mthethwa said.
IOL Sport