Florent Ibenge

Vita coach Ibenge: I am caught in between disappointment and satisfaction

Association Sportive Vita coach Florent Ibenge was left a frustrated man as he watched his side miss a penalty and so spurned the opportunity to claim a dominant position at the top of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Ligue 1 table. 

In an exciting Congolese Classico against old foes Tout Puissant Mazembe in Kinshasa - marred by crowd trouble which forced a 15-minute stoppage - Vita midfielder Fabrice Ngoma missed a penalty deep into injury time to deny his side a crucial win, with the scores tied at 0-0.

Victory for defending champions Vita would have left the capital city club with their destiny in their own hands, as the league race approach a climax.

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With two games remaining before the conclusion of the Ligue 1 race, Vita lead the table and are six points ahead of second-placed Mazemb, who however, have three games in hand.

In the event both sides win all their remaining games, Mazembe would be crowned champions with a three-point margin at the top of the table.

Now that Vita will have to be concerned about how their rivals play, Ibenge was left in a state of confusion.

“We are divided between disappointment and satisfaction. On one side, we enter onto the field to win but when there is a draw, there is inevitably disappointment,” Ibenge was quoted as saying by Foot.CD.

"On the other hand, we gave a good account of AS Vita quite different from our two previous games.

“With the season coming to an end, we had to break this image. And we say congratulations to the players because it's not easy for them right now.

"We have seen two great teams that have been solid and tactically sound, leaving no space for each other ... Bravo Congolese football’s own two teams that have this level.”

The result means Vita failed to beat Mazembe this season after they went down 3-2 in the reverse fixture in November.

The two giants have dominated the Congolese Ligue 1 for the past 10 seasons.

During that period, Mazembe have claimed seven titles and Vita three.

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