TP Mazembe forward, Cheibane Traore is relishing a perfect start to their campaign at the group phase, in the opening fixture against familiar foes, El Hilal of Sudan on Sunday, 28 June 2015 in Lubumbashi.
After disappointing turnouts in the past seasons especially last year, where ‘Les Corbeaux’ were edged out by eventual winners, ES Setif at the semis; the Malian insists a convincing win against the Omdurman-based club is the only way to make clear their intent.
Since winning the premier continental club championship title in 2010, their fourth triumph overall, the DR Congo champions have failed in successive bids despite the huge financial injection by club owner, Moise Katumbi into the activities of the Lubumbashi outfit, placing more pressure on coach, Patrice Carteron and his charges including Traore to deliver the ultimate this time.
“The group phase is very dear to us (players) because this is the highest level in African club football. We have done respectably well in the domestic league and the knockout stages of the CAF Champions League. Now we don’t have to just play well, you have to earn points and show your value,” Traore told the Mazembe website.
The 24-year old who joined the Congolese outfit from Stade Malien in 2010, reckons a difficult test against a Sudanese side, who are no strangers to the last eight of any continental club championship.
The two sides have met six times in the past with the recent one being at the same stage last year. Mazembe suffered a lone goal loss in Khartoum incidentally in the opening match of the group phase, before outclassing the Sudanese 3-1 in Lubumbashi in the penultimate match to book their place at the last four.
In 2009 at the semis, ‘Les Corbeaux’ beat Hilal 5-2 in Omdurman before suffering a shocking 2-0 loss in the return leg, yet advanced to the final thanks to a 5-4 aggregate win, where they eventually beat Heartland of Nigeria to claim the title.
The other meetings were in 2008 at the group phase, both failing to produce a winner, 0-0 in Lubumbashi and 2-2 in Omdurman.
“I’m burning with the desire to do better than last year. We have a team that is strengthened and has the ability to win the CAF Champions League. We know we must demonstrate it on the field.
“We don’t want to repeat the disappointment of last season where ES Setif knocked us out at the semifinal stage. We have to work hard not to lose points at home,” he added.
Debutants, Smouha of Egypt will engage Moghreb Tetouane of Morocco in the other Group A match also on Sunday in Alexandria.
Fixtures
Group A
28/06/2015 TP Mazembe (DR Congo) vs El Hilal (Sudan)
28/06/2015 Smouha (Egypt) vs Moghreb Tetouane (Morocco)
Group B
26/06/2015 El Merreikh (Sudan) vs MC Eulma (Algeria)
27/06/2015 ES Setif (Algeria) vs USM Alger (Algeria)
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