The women’s team of Tout Puissant Mazembe is the epitome of growth. Only two years after its creation, the Lubumbashi club finds itself in the CAF Women’s Champions League. A feat acquired thanks to the selflessness and talent of the lads of coach Marcello Kadiamba.
Without comparison with their male counterparts, the Tout Puissant Mazembe women want to build its history, all in independence. It’s a little in tune with the times, as some would say. Won the DR Congo Cup and qualified for the Champions League, 2022 is indeed the breakthrough year of the Ravens ladies.
“This was the objective set by creating the women’s section of TP Mazembe. Today, we are therefore satisfied to have achieved this first objective. Now, we also want to shine on the continent after having shone on the national level” declared Jeff Kapondo, the president of the women’s section of Tout Puissant Mazembe.
Without any claims, but by force of persuasion, they proved on the ground, this famous green rectangle that they like so much, that they too, were able to radiate the black and white colours, those of the Ravens, on the plan continental.
The course of the Luchoises for the final stages of this second edition of the CAF Champions League was strewn with pitfalls. They inherited a zonal UNIFFAC difficult group.
Their first opponent was the Cameroonians of AS Awa and the Equatorial Guineans of Malabo King’s, the ogre of the zone.
After a sluggish start against the Cameroonians of AS Awa, a match won 1-0, the Congolese played against FC CECUS of Chad 4-0. In the final, they will face AS Awa from Cameroon.
The Ravens won the decisive match 2-1 and will discover the most prestigious of inter-club competitions.
“We are not going to Morocco to do extras, or distribute points. Certainly, this will be our very first experience at this level,” says Mamie Manckay Ghemi, the captain of the Tout Puissant.
We know our strengths and we are very ambitious. We want to bring this trophy back to Lubumbashi. Everyone talks to us about Mamelodi but I tell you that the impossible is not Mazembe.
Mamie Manckay Ghemi, TP Mazembe captain
“Our primary mission will be to validly represent the country: the Democratic Republic of Congo. Personally, I know that this competition can be a springboard for each of us, but also our sport in the country.”
When asked about their chances, trophy-hungry captain Ghemi admits: “We are not going to lie to each other. We know our strengths and we are very ambitious.
“We want to bring this trophy back to Lubumbashi. Everyone talks to us about Mamelodi but I tell you that the impossible is not Mazembe.”
The Congolese are drawn in Group B along with defending champions, Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa, Bayelsa Queens of Nigeria and Wadi Degla SC of Egypt.
Source: Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF)