Daouda Kamilou of Cotonsport of Garoua and TP Mazembe’s Trésor Mputu first played against each other in the group stage of the CAF Champions League in 2008. 14 years later, both men still play key roles for their respective clubs.
Cameroon’s Cotonsport of Garoua will host TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo at the Roumde Adjia stadium in Garoua on Sunday, in a day four game in Group C of the 2021-2022 CAF Confederation cup.
As Cotonsport looks to react to the one-nil defeat suffered in Lubumbashi on February 27 this year, the focal point in the game will be two of the oldest players still competing at the continental scene.
34-year old Cotonsport’s forward Daouda Kamilou and 36-year old TP Mazembe’s midfielder Trésor Mputu Mabi are both record scorers for their clubs and will be a major attraction in this fixture.
Glody Likonza scored in the dying minutes, as Tout Puissant Mazembe edged Cotonsport in the away game, leaving the Cameroon Champions bottom of the group with just two points from three games. Both Mputu and Kamilou started that game on the bench, but came on and created much impact for their respective sides, with Mputu providing the assist for the lone goal.
Sunday’s game will be the fourth meeting between Kamilou and Mputu and also the fourth time cotonsport and TP Mazembe are facing each other in the interclub competition.
Both sides first met in the group stage of the CAF champions league in 2008. Kamilou’s lone goal secured Cotonsport a one-nil win over TP Mazembe at the Roumde Adjia stadium on 19 July 2008, but Mazembe won the return game in Lubumbashi two nil on 14 September 2008, with Mputu being amongst the goal scorers on that day. However, Cotonsport went on to top the group that had Nigeria’s Enyimba of Aba and Sudanese giants Al Hilal. Cotonsport eventually lost at the final, to Al Ahly of Egypt. Kamilou’s seven goals in the competition meant the Niger international was deputy top scorer in the competition that season as Nigeria’s Stephen Worgu of Enyimba backed the Golden Boot scoring 13 goals.
The subsequent season, Mputu scored six goals for Mazembe to secure a third Champions League crown.
Kamilou-Mputu, the legends
The experience of both players is second to none in their clubs at the moment. Kamilou is Cotonsport’s all time top scorer in all competitions. The forward has 37 caps for the Nigerien team, and took part in the TotalEnergies 2012 AFCON. Kamilou first joined Cotonsport in 2007 and has spent ten seasons at the club though his time has been punctured by short stints abroad. He contributed to Coton’s success in six of the 16 seasons they have emerged champions and won two domestic cup trophies for the 2008 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League deputy champions.
For Mputu, he is one of the top scorers in the history of the CAF champions league (29 goals), two short of Al Ahly’s legend Mohamed Aboutrika, and led Mazembe to consecutive CAF Champions League wins in 2009 and 2010.
He also featured in two TotalEnergies AFCON’s for DR Congo (2006 and 2013). With about 19 years spent with TP Mazembe, Mputu has won almost all competitions, the Linafoot, CAF champions league, Confederation cup, CAF Super League cup, and the African Nations championship in 2009, the same year he was voted African Based Player of the Year.
Coach Souleymanou Aboubakar’s Cotonsport needs a win on Sunday to keep their hopes of progressing from group C alive, while TP Mazembe will be counting on their experience, to outsmart their youthful opponents.
Wins against Cotonsport and AS Otôho, has kept The Ravens at the top of the group with six points despite a defeat away at Al Masry.
Trésor Mputu and his mates have a possibility to punch their quarter final ticket, should they win in Garoua.
For the Cottoners with just two points recorded in three games, they will be keen to pick good results at home against Mazembe guided by coach Franck Dumas and Congo Republic’s AS Otoho, before making the trip to Egypt on the last day to face Al Masry SC.
Source: CAF
Frederick Marfo is a sportswriter and social worker well known for his advocacy for equal chances and rights for all athletes, especially those with disabilities.
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