Just how did Kaizer Chiefs upset the odds to reach the CAF Champions League final? snl24.com/kickoff provides the numbers that matter.
Chiefs have turned heads on the continent by reaching their maiden Champions League final with a date against nine-time champions Al Ahly now booked for July 17.
0 – Daniel Akpeyi has yet to concede a goal in all the six appearances that he has made in the competition including a heroic showing in this past weekend's CAF Champions League semi-final second leg against Wydad Casablanca. He also played in the group stages victory against Wydad when he was red carded and kept goals in all four games against the two Angolan clubs totalling 491 minutes without conceding.
1 – Kaizer Chiefs are on to their first ever CAF Champions League in a season in which they reached the group stages for the first time having previously come stuck in all their previous campaigns. Their opponents in the final – Al Ahly – are on to their fourteenth final.
2 – Chiefs twice went to Angola through this season's CAF Champions League having first visited Primeiro de Agosto in the first round before heading off to Petro de Luanda during the group stages. They will have played in six countries at the end of the tournament at the end of the tournament having met Wydad Casablanca in Burkina Faso during the group stages while also playing in Cameroon, Angola, Guinea, Tanzania, and Morocco.
4 – Kaizer Chiefs are only the fourth team to reach the final of the CAF Champions League without conceding in all the games that they played at home through the competition. Tunisian giants Esperance twice did in 1999 and 2011 going all the way in the competition without conceding at home despite not eventually lifting the trophy on both occasions. In 1999 they didn't concede all the way at home but lost on penalties to Raja Casablanca while in 2011 they were champions without conceding at home winning 1-0 on aggregate in the final.
6 – the number of games that Chiefs have drawn through their campaign starting off with PWD Bamenda before also playing stalemates with Primeiro de Agosto, Horoya (twice), Petro de Luanda and Wydad Casablanca. They have won six and lost two from the 14 games that they have played.
7 – Chiefs had seven different scorers on their way to the final. As strange as it might sound Mulomowandau Mathoho is the joint top scorer for the club in the tournament with three goals along with Samir Nurkovic. Colombian forward Leonardo Castro has scored two while Khama Billiat, Bernard Parker and Happy Mashiane all have one each.
9 – the number of goals that Chiefs conceded on their way to the final. They conceded four against Wydad with Itumeleng Khune in goals, then three on the road at Simba with Bruce Bvuma between the posts and then two (Khune in goals) at Horoya which meant in another 11 games they didn't concede proving just how tight they have been at the back through their run in this competition.
12 – The number of goals that Chiefs scored on their way to reaching the final this year. The first was from an unlikely source in Mulomowandau Mathoho in the 1-0 away win at PWD Bamenda while the most recent was by Samir Nurkovic in another 1-0 away win at Wydad Casablanca in the first leg of the semi-finals.
22 – Amakhosi will become the 22nd club to sit on one CAF Champions League final as the competition heads towards the completion of its 57th edition. Only seven clubs have been winners at the first attempt though the most recent was Club Africain from Tunisia back in 1991 when they overcame Ugandan club SC Villa.
26 – the number of players that Kaizer Chiefs have used through this season with only Sabelo Radebe, Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya and Brylon Petersen not getting any minutes through the 14 games that Chiefs have played.
35 – veteran midfielder Willard Katsande has been the oldest player that Chiefs have used in the competition this season. The Zimbabwean – who turned 35 in January – has fought himself into the starting XI and put in commanding displays in both legs of the semi-finals.