African heavyweights Mazembe facing CAF Cup humiliation
Twice former winners TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo are facing elimination from the CAF Confederation Cup after a 1-0 loss to US Monastir in Tunisia on Wednesday.
The defeat, inflicted by a third-minute goal from Boubacar Traore, left the winners of 11 CAF titles third in Group D, four points behind second-placed Young Africans of Tanzania.
If Young Africans defeat already-qualified Monastir on March 19, Mazembe will suffer the humiliation of failing to make the knockout phase in the African equivalent of the Europa League.
Mazembe last exited at the group stage in 2007. Subsequently, they won the competition twice in a row and were runners-up and semi-finalists in other appearances.
The matchday four loss to Monastir was the third in a row for the Ravens after opening the group campaign with a convincing home victory over Real Bamako of Mali.
Mazembe began the 2022-2023 African season in the elite CAF Champions League only to lose on penalties against Vipers of Uganda in a qualifier and be demoted to the Confederation Cup.
The shock defeat to Vipers cost French coach Franck Dumas his job with former Mazembe captain Pamphile Kazembe taking charge.
But Kazembe has been unable to halt the slide with the win over Bamako followed by a loss to Young Africans and two defeats by inexperienced African campaigners Monastir.
Between 1967 and 2017, Mazembe won 11 CAF titles, an achievement matched by Zamalek and bettered only by another Egyptian club, Al Ahly, with 23.
Young Africans missed a penalty at home to Bamako, but cruised to a 2-0 victory through goals from Fiston Mayele and Jesus Moloko.
Mazembe are one of three former African champions hoping to succeed Renaissance Berkane of Morocco as winners of the Confederation Cup, and the other two had mixed fortunes.
ASEC Mimosas of the Ivory Coast completed a double over Diables Noirs of Congo by winning 1-0 in Brazzaville thanks to a Aubin Kramo goal.
Victory lifted the Abidjan outfit, whose lone Champions League success came in 1998, to the top of Group B, one point above Rivers United of Nigeria.
But Rivers will regain first place if they at least draw against visiting DC Motema Pembe on Thursday in a fixture delayed 24 hours because the Congolese experienced travel problems.
FAR Rabat of Morocco, the 1985 African champions, surrendered a nine-match unbeaten record spanning qualifying and Group C matches when they fell 2-0 to Future of Egypt in Cairo.
Another Egyptian club, Pyramids, took advantage of the FAR defeat to go top after hammering ASKO Kara of Togo 4-1 in Lome, where Mostafa Fahmy bagged a brace.
Marumo Gallants of South Africa replaced USM Alger of Algeria as Group A leaders through a 2-0 win in Soweto courtesy of goals from Lesiba Nku and Letsie Koapeng.
Gallants lie bottom of the domestic league having won only three of 22 matches, but in Africa they have triumphed six times in eight outings.
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