Sports
Mazembe Aims To Conquer Africa
It may be too early to start counting their chickens but Democratic Republic of Congo giants TP Mazembe look like a team that will yet again pose a threat in this year’s African Champions League.
The four-time African club champions have recruited one Ugandan, a Zambian, five Ghanaian and three Malian players as they aim to conquer the continent again this year.
The overhauling of the squad has seen new arrivals in almost every department, except the goalkeeping area that will still be anchored by Congolese international Muteba Kidiaba.
Ghanaian defenders Yaw Frimpong and Richard Boateng have taken up the space left by Congolese Pamphile Mihayo and Kasongo Ngandu who have been dispatched to the coaching bench of Mazembe’s sister club Don Bosco.
In the middle of the park, Congolese midfielder Guy Lusadisu retired and new recruits Malian Alou Bagayoko, Ghanaians Gladson Awoko and Daniel Adje Nii and Uganda Mike Mutyaba will compete for places.
The striking department has seen the arrival of Zambian Jonas Sakuwaha, Malians Diarra Boubacar and Ousmane Cisse and Salomon Asante from Ghana.
However, some of the new recruits have been loaned to Don Bosco.
“Defensively, TP now has more options”, club owner Moise Katumbi told Tidesports source.
“On the right and left flanks, Kasusula (jean) and Nkulukuta (Eric) are both over 30 years and the team needed some players who could play straight away hence the arrival of the Ghanaians.
“In the middle we needed
more variationa nd creativity, while up front we lacked height, so we have brought in new players to offer us aerial threat and physical stature”.
Katumbi believes that with the new recruits Mazembe can now effectivly rotate their squad to cope witht he demands of local and international fixtures.
It is a statement of intent that is already bearing fruit for a team that reached the semi-final stage of the competition last year.
Mazembe, who are based in the mineral-rich Katanga province, last weekend demolished Botswana side Mochudi Centre Chiefs 6-0 to qualify to the next round of the competition via a 7-0 age gregate victory.
“We are re-building the team”, added Katumbi.
“Building a team sometimes takes a long time but we hope we can get better and better.
“I am somebody who doesn’t get carried away easily with the result of a match.
We still have a lot of work to do”.
“The competition is good and we think we cna win the Chamions League this year”, says Zambian striker Given Singuluma.
Andre Mtine, a member of the TP scouting network, thinks the arrivl of the new players, especially the Ghanaians, will add a different dimension to the team.
he is particularly happy that this year Mazembe have a blend of both young and experienced players.
“The Ghanaians have very good temperament and are focused”, he says.
“The Pan-African nature of the is a big plus to the team because every player is competing for places regardless of where they come from.
“The non-Congolese players know they are being paid because they have a job to do while the Congolese understand there is competition if they are to be selected to play”.
Mazembe’s victory against Chiefs last weekend has booked them a glamour tie with South African side Orlando Pirates, who boasts the likes of UEFA Champions League winner Benni McCarthy.
But Mazembe, who in 2010 made history by becoming the first African side to reach the final of the World Club Championships, are not scared to face Pirates.
“Every president of a club, just like myself, is expecting their team to do better this year but we are determined to bring joy to Congo and Africa this year”, Katumbi said.
“Orlando Pirates is a good team and I have a lot of respect for them.
“Pirates are a very good side with a lot of players that have played in Europe but our team is also determined to show what local African players can do”.
The Los Angeles Lakers shrugged off their injury worries to make a winning start to the NBA play-offs.
The 18-time champions were without key players Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Maxi Kleber but 41-year-old LeBron James produced another fine display in a 107-98 win over the Houston Rockets.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks were the other winners on day one of the play-offs, while the Phoenix Suns and Orlando Magic won the play-in tournament to book their places.
James controlled the floor while racking up 19 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds against a Houston side who lost key man Kevin Durant to injury just before play started.
“It’s just our play-off mentality,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said.
“You can’t worry about who’s in or out of the line-up. It’s our gameplan. It’s our standards. It’s how we play, and we’ve built towards that.
“I thought our guys just responded well and met the moment. That’s the biggest thing. You’ve got to meet the moment in every game, and we were able to do that.”
Luke Kennard continued to step up as a starter with a career play-off high 27 points as the Lakers took the opening game in the best-of-seven series.
Durant, 37, has a bruised knee and could return for game two on Tuesday night.
Defending champions Oklahoma City Thunder began their campaign last night against the Suns.
Brentford missed the chance to go sixth in the Premier League with a goalless draw against visitors Fulham, their fifth consecutive stalemate in the top flight.
A win would have helped the Bees overtake Chelsea and boost their chances of qualifying for a debut European campaign but they failed to capitalise in a game of few real chances at Gtech Community Stadium.
Fulham had the majority of possession but it was Brentford who had the best of chances in a lacklustre early kick-off.
Igor Thiago, only one behind 22-goal Erling Haaland in the Golden Boot race, headed wide from close range early on while Keane Lewis-Potter fired just over Bernd Leno’s goal from eight yards in the dying seconds of the first half.
Dango Ouattara, who attempted the only shot on target before the interval, failed to trouble Leno again with an effort from distance in the 58th minute.
An unmarked Mikkel Damsgaard then failed to hit the target with a first-time effort from the edge of the box after Kevin Schade played him through as frustration continued to build for Keith Andrews’ side.
Harry Wilson produced a well-timed run to get on the end of a cross in the 78th minute but dragged his shot wide in a rare opening for Fulham.
The teenager delivered a standout performance in what is regarded as one of Africa’s more competitive road cycling events, further strengthening her growing reputation as one of the sport’s most promising young riders.
The Tour du Faso, organised by the Amaury Sport Organisation, which also runs the Tour de France, has been part of the UCI Africa Tour since 2005 and is classified as a 2.2 event.
First held in 1987, it was reserved for amateurs until 1998. It is widely regarded as Africa’s biggest cycling race, a demanding ten-stage challenge that brings together European amateur riders and African local competitors in a contest often described as a blend of sporting ambition and opportunity.
Osaretin’s latest success in stage five adds to a remarkable journey that has seen her rise from humble beginnings as a wheelbarrow pusher to becoming both a Nigerian and African junior champion.
Her breakthrough on the national stage came at the 2024 National Sports Festival in May 2025, where she shocked everyone by defeating Nigeria’s first cycling Olympian Ese Ukpeseraye to win gold in the women’s 200m sprint final.
She went on to win another gold medal in the women’s road race at the inaugural African School Games in Algeria.
Her stage five victory in Burkina Faso now signals continued upward momentum as she establishes herself on the international cycling circuit and looks to build on her early success.
Kola Daniel, special assistant on media to the director general of the National Sports Commission, confirmed the development in a statement released on April 18, 2026.
4th
Falconets intensify preparations for Malawi clash
Nigeria’s U-20 women’s national team, the Falconets, have stepped up their build-up ahead of their FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup final qualifying first-leg encounter against Malawi, scheduled for May 2, Tidesports source reports.
The team have been in intensive training in Abuja as they fine-tune tactics and sharpen their preparations for the decisive fixture, with coaches focusing on team organisation and match strategy ahead of the encounter.
Head coach Moses Aduku expressed confidence in his squad’s readiness, stressing that preparations had reached an advanced stage and that focus had shifted fully to tactical execution.
Aduku said the team are fully concentrated on the task ahead and believes they are well positioned to secure a positive result in the first leg.
“We have a full squad on ground and everyone is focused on the task at hand. From now, we will concentrate on team planning and tactical work. We are taking this very seriously, and I believe by the end of the match we will come out victorious,” he told NFF media.
The Falconets have maintained a positive atmosphere in camp, with high morale among the players and no reported injury concerns.
The coaching staff have also been working on integrating players from different clubs, with emphasis on building cohesion and balance within a short preparation window.
Aduku also appealed for continued support from fans, drawing parallels with previous qualifying rounds against Rwanda and Senegal, while expressing confidence that the team would secure qualification over the two legs.
“To our supporters, we plead that you pray for us as you did when we played Rwanda and Senegal in the earlier rounds. I believe Nigeria will smile with a ticket to the World Cup after the two legs against Malawi,” he added.
Nigeria reached this stage after overcoming Senegal 3-1 on aggregate in the previous round, following a 1-0 home win and a 2-1 away victory.
They had earlier defeated Rwanda 5-0 on aggregate to advance.
Their opponents, Malawi, arrive in strong form after a commanding 6-2 aggregate win over Guinea Bissau, including a 5-1 victory in Lilongwe following a 1-1 draw in the first leg away from home.
The return leg of the qualifier will be held in Lilongwe on May 9, with both sides competing for a place at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland in 2026.