DR Congo glamour club, TP Mazembe is favoured to break the dominance of West and North Africa in the Orange CAF Champions League after limiting Nigeria's Heartland to a 2-1 win in the first leg in Owerri on Sunday.

Though the tie is balanced on a knife's edge, the central Africans have the advantage of playing the decisive second leg at home. The Congolese last won Africa's premier club competition in 1968 and were finalists in 1969 and 1970.

Since then, save for 1995 when South African club, Orlando Pirates won it, the Champions League has largely been a preserve of clubs from North and West Africa. This year, Heartland is seeking to return the title to West Africa after the exploits of compatriots of Enyimba in 2003 and 2004 but with Mazembe getting the crucial away goal in Nigeria, odds favour the Congolese to lift their first continental title in 40 years.

Heartland is making its debut in the final in a competition where Nigerian clubs have flattered only to deceive.

On Sunday, Heartland fought back with a brace from Uche Agba after Mazembe striker, Tresor Mputu Mabi, who once caught the eye of Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, put the visitors in front.

Lubumbashi will host the second leg on Sunday with a capacity crowd expected to cheer Mazembe.

A 1-0 win will see Mazembe crowned champions on the away goals rule, while a draw will be sufficient to give the Nigerians the crown.

The winners of this year's Champions League will pocket a handsome $1.5 million. The winner also qualifies for the FIFA Club World Cup in December, to be held in the United Arab Emirates. TP Mazembe are the DR Congo's only winners, triumphing in 1967 and 1968 while Enyimba is the only Nigerian club to lift the crown in 2003 and 2004.