Captain Rainford Kalaba could hold key for Mazembe

Leading scorer and captain Rainford Kalaba could be a key figure when Democratic Republic of Congo club TP Mazembe seek a first CAF Confederation Cup title on Sunday.
The star-studded Lubumbashi ‘Ravens’ are favoured after forcing a 1-1 draw at star-less Mouloudia Bejaia of Algeria last weekend in the first leg of the final.
Overall success will make Mazembe the second most successful club in CAF competitions with 10 triumphs. Al Ahly of Egypt boast 19 titles.
Bejaia, promoted to top-flight Algerian football only three years ago, are African debutants and hoping to become the first winners of the second-tier competition from the North African state.
Winger Kalaba has been in outstanding form at the 20,000-capacity Stade TP Mazembe in the heart of the southern Congolese mining region with five goals from three CAF outings.
He bagged braces against Medeama of Ghana and Young Africans of Tanzania and scored the goal that earned Mazembe a 1-0 win over Bejaia at the group stage.
Kalaba also scored away to Medeama and his six-goal haul makes him co-leading scorer in the Confederation Cup this season with Arsenio ‘Love’ Cabungula of Angolan outfit Sagrada Esperanca.
Bejaia were alert to the threat the diminutive 29-year-old Zambian posed in the first leg and he rarely had a chance to exhibit his nimble footwork or predatory instincts.
Congolese Jonathan Bolingi could be another threat to Bejaia with his four goals this season including one from a penalty which gave Mazembe the lead in Algeria.
Bejaia captain Faouzi Yaya equalised after half-time from another set-piece, a medium-distance free-kick that left goalkeeper Sylvain Gbohouo helpless.
Yaya could have finished the first leg with four goals as he wasted three second-half chances, including a one-on-one against the Mazembe shot-stopper.
Although Mazembe boast a 15 win-one draw Confederation Cup home record since debuting in 2004, upstarts Bejaia are convinced they can upset the odds and stun an expected capacity crowd.
“We matched our illustrious opponents in the first leg and travel to Lubumbashi full of confidence,” midfielder Yaya told the Algerian media.
“Why should we be discouraged? Our chances of winning the Confederation Cup are intact. We will prepare well for the second leg and can cause a shock.”
Mouloudia coach and former Algeria defender Nacer Sandjak also believes the outcome remains in the balance.
“My team have been written off so many times this season in the Confederation Cup and repeatedly confounded the critics.
“A good example of our amazing spirit was eliminating FUS Rabat in the semi-finals despite trailing with one minute of regular time remaining in Morocco.”
France-born Mazembe coach Hubert Velud remains uncomfortable with being favourites to win a CAF competition for the second successive season by beating an Algerian club.
Last year, the ‘Ravens’ defeated USM Alger 2-1 away and 2-0 at home in a one-sided CAF Champions League final under another French coach, Patrice Carteron.
“A score draw in Algeria was a good result, but we remain wary of Bejaia because they are a good, strong side,” stressed the 57-year-old former goalkeeper.
“The stakes are high and I have warned my squad that one mistake by either team could prove decisive. The fact that we are more experienced than Bejaia counts for little.”
Ivory Coast-born Mazembe midfielder Christian Kouame echoed the views of his coach in the Congolese media.
“The bigger test was in Algeria, but there is no room for complacency. Mouloudia created many problems for us in the first leg and could do so again.”