After Kaizer Chiefs reached their first CAF Champions League final following their goalless draw against Wyday Casablanca in the semifinal at FNB Stadium on Saturday night, winning the match 1-0 on aggregate, we look at a few points that were crucial en route to the final.
Chiefs were always underdogs in this competition and not many gave them a chance of reaching the final, especially considering that they could not sign new players due to the Fifa ban imposed on them, but the Amakhosi surprised many.
Not conceding at home
That they played all their home matches without conceding a goal was a key in reaching the final. Most importantly, after scoring the away goal in the first leg of the semifinal against Wydad, Chiefs defended well at FNB Stadium in the second leg to keep another clean sheet.
They are now the third team to make it to the final without conceding a goal at home, after Esperance (1999 and 2011) and Al Ahly (2007).
Good results away
Chiefs were also good on the road, with the famous result away against Wydad when they beat them 1-0 in Morocco in the first leg of the semifinal.
They also drew 2-2 with Horoya away when they needed to avoid defeat to qualify for the knockout stages.
Senior players came to the party
While everyone should take credit for their impressive run in the campaign, senior players also came to the party when they were needed most.
Samir Nurkovic scored the only goal in the match in the semifinal away leg and the whole team defended well as a unit to protect that goal.
Bruce Bvuma was also excellent in goal in the first leg of the semifinal as he made a couple of saves to keep the Amakhosi in the game.
Fellow goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi was also impressive in the second leg as he kept a clean sheet to help the Glamour Boys reach the final.
Interim coach Arthur Zwane and Dillon Sheppard remain unbeaten
Since Zwane and Sheppard were asked to take over as interim coaches after Gavin Hunt left, the club has remained unbeaten in all competitions.
And they have brought confidence and belief to the players, something that has been missing in the past. Of the four matches they were in charge of, they won three and drew one.
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