TP Mazembe crush Esperance
Given Singuluma helps Mazembe crush Esperance
Posted: 2010-10-31 20:34
Holders TP Mazembe rattled five unanswered goals past Esperance of Tunisia to place a firm hand on this year’s CAF Champions League trophy with a record-equalling win in the first leg of the Final in Lubumbashi on Sunday.
Ngandu Kasongo and Given Singuluma both scored twice as the Democratic Republic of Congo club produced an emphatic performance in front of a delirous home audience.
Alain Kaluytika scored the other in a one-sided win that leaves Mazembe in an almost unassailable position for the return match in Tunis on November 13.
Mazembe, who needed the away-goal rule to win last year’s Champions League, benefited from the sending off midway through the first half of Esperance defender Mohamed Ben Mansour, but were already ahead after a19th minute opener from Kasongo.
There was controversy as Esperance protested the ball had not crossed the line as Kasongo rose to head home a free-kick.
Kaluytika converted a penalty on the stroke of half-time to increase the lead after being brought down in the Esperance area before Singuluma snatched both his goals in a four-minute spell after the interval.
Hiss first came with a 55th-minute header and the second in the 59th minute with a low shot before Kasongo completed the rout with some 15 minutes left.
Mazembe’s win last year came 41 years after their double success in the competition in 1967 and 1968.
In 1968 Mazembe beat Etoile Filante of Togo 5-0 in the first leg of the final and went onto win 9-1 on aggregate.



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