El Hodoud concerned about APR test

Egyptian side Harras Hodoud head coach Tarek Al-Ashri has cautioned his side to be very mindful when they take on Rwanda’s nine-time league champions APR in the CAF Confederation Cup round of 32 on March 14 in Kigali.

Sunday, March 08, 2009

Egyptian side Harras Hodoud head coach Tarek Al-Ashri has cautioned his side to be very mindful when they take on Rwanda’s nine-time league champions APR in the CAF Confederation Cup round of 32 on March 14 in Kigali.

According to filgoal.com, Al Ashri said, "We have to be cautious,” Al-Ashri, who steered Hodoud to their first ever title when they won the Egyptian Cup last month further added that "APR defeated Zamalek before so overcoming them will not be an easy task.”

APR shocked Zamalek, one of African club football giants in the Champions League round of 32 with a 6-4 goals aggregate in 2004.

Hodoud, who visit Rwanda’s Cup winners in the first leg next week, will be looking to do better than their previous participation.

Hodoud got a bye to the next round while Rene Feller’s team eliminated Kenya’s Gor Mahia 6-0 on goals aggregate.

Meanwhile, the record nine-time league winners have embarked on intensive preparations for the clash against Hodoud. 

Feller’s side is undertaking daily training session every morning at Ferwafa artificial turf but minus several influential players.

Missing players include goalie Jean Claude Ndoli, Patrick Mafisango, Ismail Nshutinamagara, Jean Bosco Uwacu, Bokota Labama, Elias Ntaganda and Mbuyu Twite all of whom have been summoned to the national team, which is preparing for the third and final round of the 2010 World/Africa qualifier tie against Algeria on March 28 in Kigali.

While players like striker Elias Uzamukunda and midfielders Haruna Niyonzima and Jean Baptista Mugiraneza went for trials in France Ligue 1 clubs, Nantes and Le Havre respectively.

Ends