Sports

Samata's TP Mazembe held at home

Mbwana Samata

TANZANIAN international Mbwana Samata produced another magnificent display but saw his DR Congo's TP Mazembe surrender a 2-0 goals lead to draw 2-2 at home against Berekum Chelsea of Ghana in the second group match of the CAF Champions League.

Samata has been more decisive in key matches for Mazembe since joining the Congolese outfit from Premier League side, Simba two seasons ago.

And the talented young striker turned on an emphatic performance on Sunday by setting up the opener with a nice piece of skill and was at the team's fulcrum as Mazembe went 2-0 up before the breather through Tressor Mputu's double.

A true game of two halves saw the home side dominate proceedings in the first half and Mputu put them ahead after good work from Samata and who has scored three Champions League goals for Mazembe, set him up. Mputu then scored a rebound from a penalty after Chelsea keeper Ernest Sowah saved his initial effort. 

However, Emmanuel Clottey, the competition's leading goal scorer scored twice in the second half. He slotted home from a spot kick after the goalkeeper brought him down before producing a magnificent effort from his left foot to grab a point for his side.

The Ravens started the game brightly with Mputu getting a strike at goal in under a minute and with the Blues struggling, the four-time Africa champions piled on the pressure.

Given Singuluma got his head onto a good cross from the left, but could not direct it goalward. The Ghanaians got out of their shells for a moment when Jackson Owusu got down well the flank, but Congolese made the early pressure count when Mputu slotted the ball into the bottom corner after good work from Samata set him up in the 11th minute.

Mazembe kept the pressure on after the goal and Rainford Kalaba almost made it two in three minutes but saw his effort strike the post.Mazembe kept piling the pressure on a Chelsea side which looked really befuddled and won a penalty in the 30th minute after Mputu was brought down in the box.

Sowah made the save from the penalty but slow reactions from his defenders meant Mputu was allowed time to find the roof of the net from the rebound to double The Ravens lead in the 32nd minute.
 
Chelsea managed a short spell of possession after conceding but could make little of it again and nearly conceded a third, but Kalaba blasted wide from a good position.The former Ghana champions started the second half better than they had played before the interval looking more composed and finally looking like they could pose a real threat.

Their pressure paid off though as Clottey was fouled in the box by Muteba Kidiaba after he got round the shot-stopper.  The 24-year-old stepped up to slot home his 10th goal of the competition in the 71st minute to set up a nervous finish to the game.

The goal, however, seemed to awaken the Congolese side and they began to take control of the game again looking to see out the final 10 minutes of the game.

They did not manage that, however, as Clottey produced a moment of absolute class in the 83rd minute to draw the Blues level turning the defender inside from the right hand side of the penalty box and curling one in with his left foot out of Kidiaba's reach and into the top left hand corner.