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Mazembe march into semis

TP Mazembe had won hearts with their style of play last year. But they had failed to win matches. This time though, the team from Congo made sure they did both.

TP Mazembe overcame a stiff challenge to beat Club de Futbol Pachuca in the quarter-final of the FIFA Club World Cup at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium on Friday night.

Cheered by a crowd of 17,960 which also included an African band, TP Mazembe won 1-0. Midfielder Mbenza Bedi scored the match winner in the 21^st minute.

TP Mazembe, who had lost to third-placed Pohang Steelers and Auckland City FC last year, will meet Brazilian heavyweights SC Internacional in the semi-final on Tuesday.

Club de Futbol Pachuca, for whom it was third time unlucky, will meet the loser of the match between Al Wahda and Seongnam Ilhwa for the play-off for the fifth place.

It didn’t take long for TP Mazembe to hit their strides as they had the first look at goal in the very third minute of the game with Given Singuluma coming up with back-to-back attempts at goal.

Singuluma, who had vowed before the game that they are the champions of Africa and they need to show that, saw his header from close range go over the cross bar after a cross from the right, before his dangerous left-footer was held by the diving Pachuca goalkeeper and captain Miguel Calero.

Pachuca, who were a bit rattled by TP Mazembe’s charges, came into their own and strung together a couple of dangerous moves. They had their first try at goal in the 19^th minute but were denied by the post. Alejandro Manso fired in a screaming pile driver from the left but it hit the far post and came back into play before being cleared by the TP Mazembe defence.

But TP Mazembe drew first blood against the run of play. Mulota Kabangu neatly set it up for Mbenza Bedi who shot from an acute angle into goal in the 21^st minute.

Pachuca came up with a barrage of tries right until half-time and should have been up by atleast three goals but some poor finishing did them in.

TP Mazembe coach Lamine N’Diaye brought in forward Ngandu Kasongo in place of midfielder Amia Ekanga, while Pachuca coach Pablo Marini reinforced his attack too by calling on World Cupper Edgar Benitez for midfielder Carlos Alberto Pena.

Pachuca had another chance just after the hour-mark but Raul Martinez’s shot was punched away by an airborne TP Mazembe goalkeeper Muteba Kidiaba. Later, in the 72^nd minute, Franco Arizala’s swerving shot went wide of the far post.

TP Mazembe, though, were reduced to 10 men for the remaining nine minutes of the game after Stopilla Sunzu was sent off following a second yellow card after a harsh tackle on Alejandro Manso. Pachuca tried desperately for the equaliser in the dying minutes and then in added time but were denied by the defence and the goalkeeper.

james@khaleejtimes.com