Club Africain accuses TP Mazembe of witchcraft after African Champions League draw

Club Africain left Lubumbashi with a point and a serious accusation: Tunisian officials reported discovering suspicious objects in the corridor leading to the pitch during their trip to face TP Mazembe (1-1), Saturday, in the first leg of the African Champions League second preliminary round.

On the sporting front, the Congolese Ravens opened the scoring through Kazema Baso in their Lubumbashi stadium home, before an equalizer from Burkinabè midfielder Franck Alain Kanté allowed the Tunisian champions to leave with a draw. Club Africain will have a slight advantage in the second leg, scheduled for October 25 in Tunis.

But it was the off-field incident that dominated discussions after the match. Representatives of the visiting club informed the match delegate of their discovery, presenting the objects as potentially linked to an act of black magic orchestrated by the home side. TP Mazembe, the most decorated club in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and national champions in 2026, has not yet publicly responded to these allegations.

The Confederation of African Football may be called upon to rule on the matter. “This is a serious accusation, and further clarification is needed on what happened,” said journalist Micky Jnr. While accusations of superstitious practices are recurring in African football, they can result in disciplinary sanctions from the CAF when officially reported.