Coach Tips AS Vita To Fill Mazembe’s Shoes – Ibengé

Following TP Mazembe’s
surprise exit from the 2016 CAF Champions League it us up to AS Vita to fly the Democratic Republic of Congo flag, a challenge welcomed by Florent Ibengé.
The AS Vita head coach, though, is wary of the tough task in hand with Les Dauphins Noirs desperate to win their first title since 1973, having finished as runners-up in 1981 and 2014.
The DRC champions are joined in the group stages of this year’s competition by Al Ahly, Zamalek and the team that beat them in the final two year’s ago,  ES Setif,  among others.
Defending CAF Champions League winners, Mazembe, suffered a second round exit from the competition – losing 3-1 on aggregate to Wydad Casablanca.
“Unfortunately TP Mazembe has been kicked out of the competition – we are now the sole ambassadors of the country,” said Ibengé. “We will try our level best to go until the very end.
“We are going to meet very good teams, teams that have good facilities which we don’t have, but we will try to do our best and go all the way.
AS Vita booked their place in the final eight with a 2-2 aggregate win over Mamelodi Sundowns, and the national team coach was full of praise for the South African league leaders.
“Sundowns is a very good team, very excellent a lot of opportunities – as we did.  We hit the crossbar, but that is the game”, Ibenge added.
Sundowns subsequently join TP Mazembe in the play-off round of the 2016 CAF Confederation Cup.