Andrew Olsson
October 24, 2025Linafoot: TP Mazembe, AS Vita Club begin campaign with victories
Photo: TP Mazembe
Linafoot: TP Mazembe, AS Vita Club begin campaign with victories
DR Congo’s top flight Linafoot (a.k.a. Illicocash Ligue 1) kicked off the 2025-26 season and it was a victorious start for heavyweights TP Mazembe and AS Vita Club in the opening round of matches.
TP Mazembe, who missed out on CAF club competitions for this season following a shocking fifth place finish, began their campaign on the right foot with a 3-1 victory over newly promoted CS Manika.
The Ravens took an early lead but were pegged back soon after by CSM, who quickly responded to Patient Mwamba’s opener with a firm header by Kalumba Ntambwe from a corner kick. The hosts dominated proceedings, however, and after going into halftime level TP Mazembe accelerated their efforts.
Rising talent Faveurdi Bongeli put the Ravens into the lead soon after the hour mark with a looping header following a corner kick. Substitute Dieubeni Ndongala finished off the victory in the final twenty minutes by finishing under the goalkeeper to confirm three points.
In Kinshasa, AS Vita Club also got off to a winning start with a convincing 3-0 victory over Étoile du Kivu at the Stade Tata Raphaël.
As much as Mazembe struggled last season, it was even worse for Vita Club who finished eighth place last season, making Thursday’s victory an encouraging result for their passionate supporters.
For defending champions Aigles du Congo, it was a difficult start to their title defense. Having been eliminated from the CAF Champions League in the first qualifying stage, Aigles fell to a 1-2 defeat against MK Etancheite who announced their return to the top flight in loud fashion.
A traditional Kinshasa powerhouse also fell in their opening match as DC Motema Pembe dropped a 1-2 result to New Jak. DCMP have experienced struggles both on and off the pitch in recent years and with several ambitious clubs like Aigles du Congo and New Jak eager to show their strength, it was DCMP who fell victim with a stern reminder that challenges lie ahead.