TP Mazembe continue journey from karate kids to the top of the world

Bad enough was the fact that the reigning Congolese and African champions kicked off the defence of their continental crown in March by losing to the Rwandan army club APR FC but, even though Mazembe won the return leg to progress to the next round, worse Rwanda-related woe was to follow.

Two months later, Mazembe returned to Kigali to participate in an inter-club tournament organised by the Rwandan president, Paul Kagame - and there they renewed hostilities with APR in such spectacularly bad-tempered fashion that many commentators accused them of sabotaging their own season.