Kamwendo makes Mazembe CAF grade

Joseph Kamwendo has made TP Mazembe’s 30-member squad registered for the 2014 CAF Champions League in what is the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) side’s big nod to his quality.

The deposed Flames captain survived the axe that fell on Zambia defenders Hichani Himonde and Francis Kasonde who, out of six countrymen, did not make the list.

The sidelined Mazembe players will only be featuring in DRC domestic league and cup games.

According to the TP Mazembe website, Zambian attacking midfielder Jonas Sakuwaha has alongside compatriots Kabaso Chongo, Rainford Kalaba and striker Given Singuluma made Mazembe’s Champions League list.

But the future of Kamwendo’s compatriot Luka Milanzi, whose loan spell at Zesco in Zambia ended, is unclear at Mazembe.

Mazembe’s French coach Patrice Carteron has since urged players that have been left out of the continental competition to work hard so that they can be considered when the team qualifies for the group stage.

Mazembe are on bye in this year’s Champions League qualifiers and await the preliminary round winner between Akounangui of Equatorial Guinea and Cameroonian club Astres de Douala.

Meanwhile, Carteron has said the departure of Nathan Sinkala, Stoppila Sunzu and Congolese international Tresor Mputu will not affect the team’s performance in the Champions League.

“These are players I wanted to keep at all cost. It is part of the evolution of a club. They were perhaps more difficult to motivate because after several attempts when they had opportunities to play in Europe, one can understand a player has this desire for a new challenge,” Carteron told www.tpmazembe.com.