A controversial goal set title holders TP Mazembe of DR Congo on the road to a 5-0 drubbing of 10-man Esperance from Tunisia Sunday in the first leg of the African Champions League final. The North Africans claimed an Ngandu Kasongo header did not cross the line after 18 minutes but the protests were ignored by the Togolese referee, who sent off defender Mohamed Mansour soon after.
Kasongo and Zambia-born Given Singuluma scored two goals each and Dioko Kaluyituka converted a penalty in Lubumbashi to render the mid-November return match virtually meaningless. Mazembe attacked from the kick-off in hot conditions on a billiard-table smooth artificial surface at the 35,000-seat Kenya Stadium in the southern Congolese mining city.
The defending champions were also taking no chances with leading African Champions League scorer Michael Eneramo, who had two 'minders' whenever he moved near the ball.
Esperance survived only 18 minutes before falling behind as a Kasongo header off a free kick put Mazembe ahead amid protests from Tunisian players that the ball did not cross the line.
After Eneramo used his outstretched arm to score the goal that eliminated six-time champions Al-Ahly of Egypt in the semi-finals this month.