CAF interclub competitions: mixed picture for Congolese clubs

DR Congo will have to wait to repeat the feat of 2022, when they had 4 clubs in the group stage of the two CAF interclub competitions.

For the 2024-225 season, there will be only two Congolese representatives at this stage of the competition: TP Mazembe and AS Maniema Union, both in the CAF Champions League.

Semi-finalists in the last edition, Mazembe's Corbeaux (Ravens) booked their place by beating Zambia's Red Arrows 2-0 in the first leg and 2-1 in the return. Meanwhile, AS Maniema Union caused a sensation by knocking out Angola's Petro Atletico. The Unionistes won the first leg in Kinshasa 2-1 before holding the Angolans to a goalless draw in the return in Luanda (0-0), securing a historic place in the group stage of a CAF interclub competition, in only their second appearance in the Champions League.

Nil points in the Confederation Cup

By contrast, it is the first time in 4 years that DR Congo will have no representative in the group stage of the Confederation Cup. Both of their sides, AS V. Club and FC Saint Éloi Lupopo, were eliminated in the second preliminary round.

Beaten 2-0 in the first leg, AS V.Club were knocked out by South Africa's Stellenbosch, who held them to a 1-1 draw in the return in Kinshasa. For their part, FC Saint Éloi Lupopo had no answer to Angola's Bravo do Maquis. The Cheminots (Railwaymen) of Lubumbashi lost 1-0 in the first leg and 1-2 in the return.

LINAFOOT in the firing line

These poor results by Congolese clubs in the Confederation Cup have prompted negative reactions, and some club officials say LINAFOOT is to blame.

That is the view of FC les Aigles du Congo president Vidiye Tshimanga, who did not hesitate to criticise LINAFOOT on his social media accounts. "The first to blame for this debacle is LINAFOOT", he said.

He added: "The LINAFOOT organises its league according to the names of the teams and not their level. What is more, it does not put teams in a position to face opponents who are match-fit. Mazembe and Maniema Union qualified through their own efforts. V. Club are in the middle of a rebuild, which means they need the league to get their team into a competitive state. Yet we have been waiting two months for the league to start. ", he concluded.

Tout Puissant Mazembe and AS Maniema Union will find out their group-stage opponents after the draw, which will take place on 7 October.