Democratic Republic of Congo’s sole envoys in continental football TP Mazembe have arrived in Cairo, Egypt where they will open their TotalEnergies CAF Champions League group stage campaign.
Mazembe face Egyptian heavyweights Pyramids FC on Friday in their opening Group A encounter to be played at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo.
The five-time African champions arrived in the Egyptian capital on Tuesday morning with head coach Lamine N’Diaye traveling with an 18-man squad.
N’Diaye has since welcomed three more players who have joined the team in Cairo after representing their respective nations in the just ended international break.
The three players are Malian goalkeeper Ibrahim Mounkoro, Boubacar Hainkonye of Niger and Mauritanian Ibrahima Keita.
Meanwhile, N’Diaye will be missing two key players in captain and central defender Kevin Mondeko Zatu as well as goalkeeper Siadi Baggio who are both out with injuries.
Mazembe return to the group stages of the Champions League for the first time in two years having last appeared in this phase in the 2020/21 season.
