Mazembe Lose, But Qualify For Final

Ngandu Kasongo and teammates will be in the African Champions League final

TP Mazembe succumbed to a surprise 2-0 loss at home to Al Hilal in their African Champions League semifinal, second leg, on Sunday but still advance to the final 5-4 on aggregate.

The DR Congo side will meet Nigerian outfit Heartland in the two-legged final, a fitting meeting between arguably the two best sides in the competition this season.

Al Hilal scored two goals in six minutes midway through the first half in Lubumbashi on Sunday to raise the tension among the home fans, but they would have needed a further two goals to win the tie having been hammered 5-2 in Omdurman a fortnight ago.

Zimbabwean striker Edward Sadomba netted both goals for the Sudanese side, who could not live up to coach Paulo Campos' pre-match prediction of a 4-0 win for his side.

Heartland will host the first leg of the final in Owerri on the weekend of November 2/3, with the second leg a week later in Lubumbashi.

There is plenty on offer for the winners, not just the US$1.5-million in prize-money, but also a place at the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup to play played in the UAE in December.