You could call them the Juventus of the Democratic Republic of Congo, but they are certainly one of the most successful football teams in all of Africa. We’re talking about Tout Puissant Mazembe Englebert, the Congolese club based in Lubumbashi, founded in 1939 by Benedictine monks to provide extracurricular activities for students who chose not to take vows.
The team’s name, Tout Puissant (French for "All-Powerful" or "Full of Strength"), speaks to its ambitions. With 20 league titles and 5 national cups, TP Mazembe Englebert made international headlines in 2010 when they reached the FIFA Club World Cup final, where they faced José Mourinho’s Inter. Mazembe was the first African team in history to reach this global club final, and it has also won an impressive 5 CAF Champions League titles.
Mazembe recently found itself in the spotlight once again during the seventh round of the league. With their transfer market activity halted due to a FIFA sanction for breaching financial fair play rules, they faced US Panda without any backup forwards.
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Leading 1-0, with the goal scored on a penalty by the starting goalkeeper, Mazembe’s coach decided to bolster the attack despite the advantage, sending in second-choice goalkeeper Suleman Shaibu as a striker. Suleman did not disappoint, scoring a brace in the 84th and 91st minutes, sealing a 3-0 victory. Notably, his first goal was a stunning curling shot into the far corner, and Suleman was awarded "Man of the Match" for his unexpected offensive heroics.
