The Kibosa Maliba Stadium in the Congolese city of Lubumbashi will tomorrow decide who wins 1.5 million US dollars and a ticket to the World Club Championships in the United Arab Emirates city of Dubai in December as Heartland FC of Nigeria battle Congolese side Tout Puissant Mazembe in the second league of the Orange African Champions League.

After managing a 2-1 win at home last week, Heartland's journey from Nigeria to the DR. Congo is certainly going to be as strenuous as the victory they expect on Saturday. Against a team that boasts of an impressive home record and invincibility, Heartland's quest to rewrite a Nigerian continental football script that was recently given a bit of sprucing up by Enyimba, another Nigerian club, is sure to be challenged.

Few teams go to the Kibosa Maliba stadium and return with a win. The likes of Sudanese club Al Hillal, Zambian club, Monomotapa and Tunisian side Etoile du Sahel, tell stories of how, the over 50,000 capacity football arena, has no space for 'foreigners'. It is this sort of ambiance that Heartland should expect as they embark on a rescue mission in Lubumbashi.

Heartland had all the chance to convincingly go into tomorrow's match, with a better numerical advantage but a myriad of begging chances and superfluity of needless mistakes, ensured that they got away with a narrow win last weekend and a tough second leg as such.

But Coach Kelehi Emotele's side may find some reprieve with the return of their key player, King Osanga from national assignment. King, had an excellent day in the first leg and was capped the Most Valuable Player by the competition's co - sponsor Pepsi. He brings onboard a lot of finesse and maturity that his side needs a great deal. Returning from the just ended Fifa Under 20 championships in Egypt, his experience coupled with sense of purpose and drive, can provide the needed impetus if they have any hopes of disproving common logic – a loss in Lubumbashi. Ably supporting him is striker Uche Agba who lived up to his pre -match hype in the first leg and it is expected, he repeats same tomorrow.

In defense, Captain Ike ThankGod and Aziz Ansah will have to put up a far more convincing performance to act as a possible cover up for goalkeeper Austin Brown who looked too jittery in the first leg. They know how witty and sharp the reflexes of the Congolese attacking trio of Tresor Mabi Mputu, Alain Dioko Kaliyutuka and Zambia international Given Singuluma are, and how they won't give them much room for experimentation.

Mazembe's impressive continental gallery alone scares opposing teams. They go into history as having participated in four consecutive African Champion Club Competitions from 1967 to 1970, winning the 1967 and 1968 trophies in the process followed by 1972, 1977, 1982 and 1988 appearances, three appearances in the Confederation Cup, two Cup Winners Cup appearances and one CAF Cup appearance. They also managed a 2001, 2002, 2005, 2007 and 2008 Champions League appearances.

Against this backdrop, they understandably look favourites ahead of this epic encounter. This is possible if they better the sub standard performance they exhibited in Owerri last weekend. Tresor Mputu's early goal in the first leg did them much favour and an away goal advantage that is always crucial in matches of this nature and magnitude. They ought to provide that pure legendary stuff and an improvised quality which will ensure the trophy is bequeathed to them on a silver platter this time round after a 1967 jostle and tussle with Kumasi Asante Kotoko.

A lot is certainly at stake in tomorrow's encounter as both sides attempt a go at the Cup for the first time in ages. Heartland are looking forward to its first continental trophy after their 1988 African Cup of Champion Clubs trophy and Mazembe, its fourth after three previous triumphs in 1967, 1968 and 1980 since the club was formed nearly 70 years ago by Benedictine monks.

For Tout Puissant Mazembe, it will be double glory if they overturn the 2-1 deficit and win as their club president Moisé Katumbi has just been handed an executive CAF position. Heartland however, will be seeking to follow in the footsteps of Enyimba who made all Nigerians and themselves proud by winning this trophy consecutively in 2003 and 2004.

The Kibosa Maliba Stadium will certainly come alive tomorrow.

Development / Ghana / Africa / Modernghana.com Source: OBED BOAFO