MAZEMBE ELIMINATED FROM THE 1972 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: AN IMMENSE SCANDAL
In 1972, TP Mazembe qualified for the African Cup ...of Champions Clubs (now the CAF Champions League). The Lubumbashi-based club reached the semifinals of the competition, where they were set to face Hafia FC from Conakry, a Guinean club.
01. First Leg
The first leg was played on Saturday, November 5, 1972, in Lubumbashi. TP Mazembe defeated Hafia FC (Conakry) with a score of 3-2. The first goal was an own goal scored by Guinean player Soriba in the 7th minute, provoked by Bwanga. Bwanga then scored the Congolese club's second goal in the 22nd minute, and Tshinabu Brunch added the third in the 41st minute. The final score was Mazembe 3 – 2 Hafia.
02. Second Leg Irregularities
The return leg was scheduled for November 19. Before the match, TP Mazembe discovered several irregularities:
The refereeing trio did not have the required licenses to officiate an international match.
Under presidential orders, Hafia club had transferred the best Guinean players to their team and presented non-compliant documents, according to Mazembe's officials.
The Mazembe team was lodged in a military camp, where their training sessions were disrupted by the presence of armed men.
03. Resolution and Disqualification
Mazembe informed FEZAFA (now FECOFA) and the Ministry of Sport about these events. FEZAFA wrote to CAF and FIFA to highlight the irregularities. While awaiting responses from CAF and FIFA regarding their report, Mazembe was astonished to learn on the day of the scheduled November 19 match that they had forfeited the game.
Ultimately, because Mazembe contested the eligibility of the players and, crucially, the referees designated by CAF, thus questioning CAF's integrity, the sanction was a 2-0 defeat by forfeit in the return match for Hafia. This result allowed Hafia to qualify for the final, and Mazembe was eliminated.
TP Mazembe
