Mazembe Confident Of Victory Against Heartland
TP Mazembe are confident of victory when they host Heartland of Nigeria in today's second leg of the African Champions League final in Lubumbashi.
Heartland came from behind to win the first leg 2-1 in Owerri last Sunday, a result which means that a 1-0 victory for the DR Congo side will see them win the competition.
TP Mazembe arrived in Lubumbashi on Thursday evening after spending most of the week in Harare, to avoid pressure from fans and the media.
The team is being kept away from journalists, but spokesman Eddy Kabelu told the BBC's African sports programme Fast Track that they are ready for the biggest game in their history.
He said: "All of the players and staff know that we must win this game and that we can score only one goal and take the Champions League.
"Heartland can't beat TP Mazembe here in Lubumbashi. We've studied the pictures of the first leg and we know where we went wrong, and everything is okay now."
President Joseph Kabila is expected to attend the match at the Kenya Stadium.
Heartland have delayed their arrival in Lubumbashi and were due to arrive yesterday evening on a private plane.
The Nigerian team showed that they can produce good results away from home by drawing 1-1 away to last year's runners-up, Coton Sport of Cameroon after a 2-1 home win in the third round of this year's competition.
TP Mazembe fans are upbeat about what will be the biggest match ever to take place in Lubumbashi.
"Mazembe have gone a long time without winning the Cup, we can't afford to lose," said one fan.
The team will be led by Captain Tresor Mputu Mabi, one of the finest players in the continent. TP Mazembe were continental champions in 1967 and 1968, but African football has moved on greatly since those days, and their appearance in the final comes after an eight-year rebuilding process.
Club Chairman and Governor of the mineral-rich Katanga province, Moise Katumbi, has put $5million into this year's campaign, and TP Mazembe now have seven foreign players in their squad.
The winners of the African Champions League will play at the Club World Cup in December, a competition that will feature European champions, Barcelona.
For the second year in a row, the second leg of the final will take place in an unlikely venue.
Last year, it was played in Garoua in northern Cameroun, with Al Ahly of Egypt beating Coton Sport.
This is only the third time in 28 years that a north African team will not be in the Champions League final, and the first time since 1998.
