Five-time title-holders TP Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of Congo were eliminated from the CAF Champions League Saturday following a 1-1 draw with Amazulu of South Africa.
The hosts were undone by an away goal from Bonginkosi Tuli on the 37th minute with Adam Bossu scoring an equalizer which was not enough to save the Congolese from being eleiminated by the Champions League debutants,
Mazembe were quarter-finalists twice and semi-finalists once in the past four seasons and most pundits expected the Ravens to at least make the group stages in this campaign.
Franck Dumas’s side struggled to get going in the opening exchanges of the half, as they were often wasteful when in possession of the ball.
Their best efforts at goal proved to be a few long range efforts, although they failed to trouble Mothwa between the sticks.
Amazulu took the lead just before the half-time break when Bonginkosi Ntuli capitalized a rebound inside the box, as the South African side took the lead also on aggregate.
Memela should have doubled the lead in the 44th minute, he pounced on a poor back pass from Mazembe’s Joseph Ochaya but could not keep his composure as he dragged his effort wide of the mark.
The home side got stronger as the second half went on, controlling possession of the ball, as well as restricting the Usuthu in attack.
Substitute Reinford Kalaba had Mazembe’s best effort of the half in the 85th minute, as he headed over from close range.
Mothwa came to Amazulu rescue two minutes later, with a great reaction save to keep to deny Mwape.
However, Ntuli then leveled matters on the dying minutes of the game but the goal was not enough as Usuthu progressed to the group stages on away goals’ rule while Mazembe dropped down to the CAF Confederation Cup play-off round.
