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Kamwendo admits TP Mazembe struggles

Midfielder Joseph Kamwendo has explained why he was excluded from Tout Puissant (TP) Mazembe squad whose match ended violently on Sunday, killing fans in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Fifteen people were killed in a stampede in Kinshasa towards the end of the local DRC, league game when the home team AS Vita, was losing 0-1 to Mazembe. The home fans began throwing stones onto the pitch.

Kamwendo (L): I'm enjoying thee game
Kamwendo (L): I’m enjoying thee game

Now in the Flames camp ahead of Saturday’s 2015 African Cup of Nations first leg qualifier, against Chad Kamwendo admitted that he was yet to nail down a permanent position in the star-studded Mazembe midfield whose regulars include Zambians Rainford Kalaba and Given Sunguluma.

“I am enjoying the game, but when you are at a team like Mazembe, it is always tough breaking into the playing squad. That is why I did not play in that match that ended in violence. I was already released and on my way back home when it happened. It is so sad,” he explained.

Despite being relegated to the periphery, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) website shows that Mazembe have registered Kamwendo for the 2014 Champions League 29-member squad.

Kamwendo also struggled to maintain a regular position at South Africa’s Orlando Pirates before leaving them in 2011 to rejoin his domestic outfit Mighty Wanderers, then securing a move to Mozambique’s Liga Muculmana who sold him to Mazembe.

Upon signing him, the DRC team coach Patrice Carteron told www.tpmazembe.com that Kamwendo “passes fine, intelligent, is able to play in different positions”.

But now his focus is on the first leg match in Blantyre against Chad whose overall winner will date either Sao Tome or Benin in another round to determine which side completes group B.

“Chad is a difficult side. They are a physical side, but we are fit to face them. We have a squad to take us through to the next stage,” said Kamwendo.

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