DR Congo side AS Vita Club will likely be without their head coach Bibey Mutombo when they take on Kaizer Chiefs in the seventh edition of the Vodacom Challenge at Mmabatho Stadium on Sunday afternoon, SuperSport Zone learned from a highly placed source.

The club arrived in the country on Thursday afternoon to start their preparations for the Challenge without coach Mutombo, who according to Francios Kitenge - a football expect from DR Congo - has not been paid for two months.

“The coach was at the airport with the rest of the team ready to board a flight to Johannesburg but somehow changed his mind and decided not to accompany the team,” said Kitenge.

“The main reason behind his decision to stay behind is monetary based. The coach has not been paid for the past two months and clearly he is not happy with what is going on in the club.

“This is really sad because these are the type of actions that destroy African football. The Vodacom Challenge is a very big and respectable competition and for a team to travel all the way from DR Congo to South Africa to participate in such a competition without a coach is unacceptable,” exclaimed Kitenge.

Vita Club, who are the defending champions having beaten Chiefs 4-3 on penalties last year, will once again take on Amakhosi in the first semifinal on Sunday while Orlando Pirates will face Zambian side Green Buffaloes later in the day.

The third/four play-off match as well as the final will be played at Absa Stadium on Durban next weekend.