Mazembe overcome early scare

Mazembe recovered from conceding a 90-second goal to trounce Simba SC of Tanzania 4-1 in Lubumbashi after a goalless first leg last Saturday.

Ugandan Emmanuel Okwi silenced the capacity 20 000 in the southern Congolese mining city by darting on to a through ball and rounding the goalkeeper before tapping into the net.

Mazembe, whose last of five Champions League titles came in 2015, recovered to lead 2-1 at halftime through goals from Zambian Kabaso Chongo and Elia Meschak.

Chongo poked the ball into the net after a goalmouth scramble while Meschak used his renowned dribbling skills to put his team ahead.

A parry by Simba goalkeeper Aishi Manula on 62 minutes gave veteran Tresor Mputu the chance to make it 3-1 and Jackson Muleka completed the rout 15 minutes from time.

Mputu and Muleka have scored five goals each in the Champions League this season, two less than long-time chart-topper Moataz al Mehdi from already eliminated Al Nasr of Libya.