The magic touch of Japanese manager Robaato Rasamu was rubbing off on his Kaizer Chiefs side as they looked set to qualify from their African Champions League group and led the way in South Africa’s DStv Premiership. A welcome two-month mid-season break moving into 2035 gave Rasamu and his players a little time to recover, reset and refocus ahead of a huge few months.
African Champions League Resumes
Chiefs came into the second half of their TotalEnergies CAF Champions League group with one foot in the knockouts. They resumed at home to 2033 winners Wydad Casablanca, got in front with a blistering counter attack finished off by winger Dante Meyer but Casablanca came back into it to draw 1-1 and keep Chiefs five points clear. Next up was a trip to Tunisia to face ES Sétif, where they got a good start as striker Themba Baloyi powered home a header. Their effective back-post corner was back in action as Tebogo Ndlela doubled the lead before exciting attacker Thabang Mashigo wrapped up a 3-1 victory.
That win sent Chiefs into the quarter final but also set a new record for most goals in a Champions League campaign, usurping the 40 scored by Pyramids in 2027. Rasamu fully rotated for the final game but they still beat Remo Stars 4-1 led by homegrown striker Thabang Makhetha scoring the opener.
Targeting A South African Title
Chiefs resumed DStv Premiership eight points clear of fierce rivals and fellow undefeated side Orlando Pirates. A disappointing 1-1 at home to bottom side Pretoria Callies was followed by thumping Black Leopards 4-1 away then rivals SuperSport Utd 4-0 led by a Baloyi brace taking him past his own club record of 34 goals.
The good run continued through to gameweek 24 and a trip to Pirates three days before a Champions League game. Rasamu rotated and they lost 3-1, having missed a penalty. However, they remained eight points clear with six games remaining. Percy Mncube bagged a brilliant hat trick to down Polokwane City 4-1 before a 2-0 win at struggling Sundowns. That meant a win at 4th-place Swallows would secure the title and, despite a slow start, Chiefs bossed the game and a Baloyi brace led a 4-2 victory. Kaizer Chiefs were Champions of South Africa for the first time in 20 years!
Rasamu rested players for the remaining games due to the continental commitments below and his backup 11 did fairly well but lost twice. But they won the title with 73 points, scoring a huge 86 and conceding 32, to win the title by seven points from Pirates.
African Champions League Knockouts
In the quarter final, Chiefs went up against another Tunisian opposition in ES Sahel. First up was a Friday night trip to Sousse and they got a flyer as Mncube’s header was fumbled into the net by the goalkeeper. But despite dominating the game they settled for 1-0. Two weeks later, Chiefs well again as Mashigo headed over before winger Kabelo Isaacs tapped home. They conceded to Sahel’s only shot on target but dominated and took control with Mncube’s driven effort and Mashigo’s powerful header. And that eased them into the semis 4-1 on aggregate. Elsewhere, DR Congo side TP Mazembe beat Senegalese team ASC Jaraaf 6-5, AmaTuks beat Wydad Casablanca 7-3 in a repeat of the 2033 Final, and holders ES Tunis beat Raja Casablanca 7-2.
The semis saw Chiefs paired with TP Mazembe, three times champions in the 2010s. The away leg was first again, which meant a 2,600 mile round trip to Lubumbashi. Chiefs started quickly again, breaking from a Mazembe corner and holding midfielder Tim Davids curled a rare goal into the top corner. Mazembe were quickly given a questionable penalty, Mikhail Kozakevich saved it, then straight from the resulting corner were given another. A howitzer by midfielder Mduduzi Shabalala restored the lead before Mazembe quickly responded with a screamer of their own. Unbelievably, the ref gave them a third penalty that Kozakevich saved again then ruled out a Baloyi goal that looked onside. Mazembe, completely undeservedly, went and nicked it 3-2. The officiating was absolutely unacceptable and Rasamu accused them of match-fixing in his post-game interview.
One week between legs was enough time for Rasamu to calm down and refocus his players to go and get revenge. And his players were clearly equally angry. The tables fully turned as, after three minutes, Chiefs won a penalty that Baloyi converted. It was soon 3-0 as Mashigo headed home twice in three minutes and the onslaught continued. Baloyi bagged a fourth then curled in a free-kick for his hat trick, Mashogi headed home his hat trick goal then crashed another off the bar and Chiefs went into half time 6-0 up with 28 shots to zero! But they were far from done there. Mncube swiftly made it seven, Baloyi fired home from 25 yards, Isaacs headed home unmarked at the back post, Baloyi headed his fifth, holding midfielder Osvaldo Mkhwanazi got in on the act and Baloyi tapped home for a double hat trick. Chiefs settled for a 12-0 annihilation, having 42 shots to one and 7.38 xG to 0.04, to reach the Champions League Final in style.
TotalEnergies CAF Champions League Final
AmaTuks (also known as the University of Pretoria) thumped the holders 7-3 on aggregate to tee up the first all South African Final and another case of revenge for Chiefs. Annoyingly, like in Asia, the African Champions League Final is played over two legs. Chiefs were at home first and a club record sellout attendance of 109,500 saw another fast start as Isaacs headed home a near post corner on five minutes. Ndlela repeated the feat just before half time but, much to Rasamu’s annoyance, they allowed AmaTuks back into it. But yet another corner saw Ndlela double his tally late on and it could have been more comfortable as Makhetha’s goal (correctly this time) was disallowed in the last minute.
It was lucky they’d won the league already as two games were scheduled between the legs, including one against AmaTuks. So Rasamu rested the first 11, which was missing Mashigo who strained his groin in the first game. The second leg started slowly but burst into life as Davids curled home a 25-yarder on 24 minutes. The tie was all but over as Shabalala mopped up a corner and passed to Baloyi to finish expertly and the striker returned the favour 15 minutes later. A 3-1 win meant a 6-2 aggregate success.
Kaizer Chiefs were Champions of Africa!!
Analysing A Stunning Chiefs Campaign
Rasamu’s second year in South Africa had been one for the ages as Chiefs became South African champions for the 11th time and added their first Champions League. The main man behind this success had very much been Baloyi, who scored 46 goals plus 15 assists in 40 games including 14 in 14 in the Champions League. He was ably supported by Mashigo’s 27 goals and 14 assists, Makhetha’s 16 goals, Mncube’s 15 goals and 12 assists, Isaacs’ 14 goals and 16 assists, Meyer’s 11 goals and 20 assists, Shabalala’s 11 goals and 17 assists and centre back Ndlela’s 14 goals.
Two Down, Three To Go
The African Champions League success meant Rasamu had completed three of the five major continental trophies on his quest to complete the Pentagon Pursuit. He’d won the Asian Champions League, North American Champions League and African Champions Leagues with three teams who’d never previously been champions of their continents. Now all he needed to do was go to South America and Europe and win Copa Libertadores and the UEFA Champions League.
He’d absolutely loved his time at Kaizer Chiefs, where he won 76 of his 97 games, drawing 10 and losing 11. His sides scored 287 goals at 2.95 per game, boosted by scoring 12 twice!, and conceded 92. And in addition to the big prize, Rasamu also won three cups and a first South African title in two decades. But, with a heavy heart, it was time for Rasamu to depart Chiefs and South Africa and bid farewell to Africa. Next up, he was looking to South America, where he had all the leagues already loaded up for a couple of years, before hopefully finishing the challenge in Europe.
Where would Rasamu end up after leaving Kaizer Chiefs? And which team would give him his first opportunity in South America? Join us on Friday to find out!
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