Mazembe win African Champions League title

LUBUMBASHI, Nov 7 (Reuters) - An own goal 17 minutes from time handed TP Mazembe Englebert of the Democratic Republic of Congo the African Champions League title on Saturday more than 40 years after their last success.

Mazembe beat Nigeria’s Heartland 1-0 in the second leg of the final on Saturday for victory on the away goals rule. The two sides drew 2-2 on aggregate after Heartland had won the first leg in Owerri last Sunday.

Heartland defender Victor Ezuruike put the ball into his own net to calm the increasing concern of the packed 35,000-seater Kenya Stadium in the southern Congolese city where the sense of anticipation had been almost suffocating for Mazembe in the build-up to the game.

The Congolese side last won the continent’s top title in 1968 and now advance to the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi next month.

Mazembe had been heavily fancied to overturn the one goal deficit but were nervous throughout the match.

(Writing by Mark Gleeson, Editing by Justin Palmer; to query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)