TP Mazembe back home after CAF Confederation Cup glory

After initial challenges with getting a flight back home after the CAF Confederation Cup victory over the weekend, the TP Mazembe team finally arrived home on Tuesday.

Full name Tout Puissant Mazembe Englebert, the Democratic Republic of Congo side beat South Africa’s SuperSport United to retain the African Confederation Cup last Saturday.

A direct flight from Johannesburg to their base Lubumbashi was not possible for unexplained reasons forcing them to fly to connect via Zambia before reaching Lubumbashi.

The club owner and former governor of DRC’s Katanga province, Moise Katumbi Chapwe, thanked Zambia for their support in a tweet. “This is Africa we need. Supportive and fair!” he said.

Merci aux autorités zambiennes pour avoir tant facilité l’arrivée de TPMazembe. Voilà l’#Afrique que nous voulons. Solidaire et juste!
Thank you to the authorities of #Zambia for facilitating the arrival of TPMazembe. This is #Africa we need. Supportive and fair!

— Moise Katumbi (@moise_katumbi) November 28, 2017

Katumbi is currently living in Belgium in what has been described as “self-imposed exile.” He faces multiple criminal charges back home, all of which he says are politically motivated.

A former ally of incumbent Joseph Kabila, Katumbi’s woes are believed to be linked with his presidential ambitions. DRC goes to the polls in 2018 to elect a president. Kabila is by law ineligible but there is talk of him trying to stay on with constitutional changes.

Mazembe secured a goalless draw against SuperSport United but had taken a first leg advantage a week before in Lubumbashi. They eventually won on a 2-1 overall aggregate.

It was the fifth major continental title inside a decade, and the third in successive seasons for the Congolese club who were also African Champions League winners in 2015.