APR FC have a herculean task in front of them as they attempt to eliminate emerging Egyptian powerhouse Pyramids FC to qualify for the 2023/24 CAF Champions League group stages. The two teams will meet in the first leg at the Kigali Pele Stadium on Sunday, September 17, before APR travel to Cairo for a return leg slated for September 29 at June 30 Stadium. APR have a bad record against North African teams who have for years been a nightmare for the club in the CAF Champions League. Out of the last ten meetings with Northern African clubs, APR only won twice but experienced heavy defeats that always give them an upset in memory lane. The army side's 7-0 humiliating defeat to Esperance in Tunis on March 18, 2000, is the club's heaviest defeat in their CAF Champions League history. That mauling is followed by a 6-0 demolition by Zamalek FC of Egypt in Cairo on March 9, 2002, a 4-0 hammering by Etoile du Sahel on October 23, 2021 and also a 3-0 thrashing by US Monastir on September 18, 2022. ALSO READ: Pyramids FC A guide to APR's next Champions League opponents But there were some remarkable responses worth noting. After a 6-0 demolition by Zamalek in 2002, the club took a revenge two years later when they thrashed the Egyptian giants 4-1 on April 24, 2004 at Amahoro Stadium. The likes of Jimmy Gatete, Olivier Karekezi, Jimmy Mulisa, Eric Nshimiyimana were at the time among household names in the team that brushed Zmalek aside. APR's second win against a North African side in an African club competition was a narrow 1-0 victory against Tunisian side US Monastir at Huye Sports Stadium in September 2022 courtesy of an Yves Mugunga header. Time to break the jinx? Obviously, North African teams are ruling African club football and they have been at the apex of their game for over a decade, or two, with the likes of Al Ahly SC, Esperance, CS Sfaxien, Zamalek, Etoile du Sahel, Wydad AC, RS Berkane and USM Alger dominating the Champions League and the Confederation Cup. Clubs from other parts of the continent, and APR alike, can barely compete financially with the Northern African clubs which buy every player they want on the continent and even from Europe. In terms of infrastructure, they are a step ahead as well. Pyramids FC, for instance, splashed €5million in 2020 to buy Ramadan Sobhi from English side Huddersfield Town. You would wonder how many clubs in Africa even valued at that amount, leave aside buying a player. Very few. This shows the standard of teams such as Pyramid, Al Ahly and other established Northern African teams have set. Pyramids are from an Egyptian league which is ranked second in Africa. We are concerned about that but we are going to try our chance, APR coach Thierry Froger replied when asked about chances of eliminating Pyramids. Seemingly, football defies logic and many things go into football. One cannot blame APR for such an unwanted bad result record against Northern African clubs because very few, or no East and largely Sub-Saharan African club is at that standard. However, there is always a way around if proper results which can lead to qualification at the expense of these North African clubs can be achieved. “We will have no excuses,” said club Chairman Lt. Col. Richard Karasira. “There is no excuse and I think winning would be a celebration not just for our players but Rwandans in general,” he added. APR must make sure that they win massively in Kigali because a comeback from a score line below a four-goal difference can be achieved. Pyramids are very deadly at home and they proved it when they thrashed Al Ahly 3-0 during the 2023 league season and this shows the level at which their confidence stands. APR must also tighten their back and their forward line comprising Apam Assongwe, Victor Mbaoma, Gilbert Mugisha and Innocent Nshuti should be clinical upfront and make sure that they press high and bang in goals. On paper, it is a daunting task for the Rwandan league champions considering the level of Pyramids but Froger could hopefully help his side pull a major shock and send a warning to Egyptian clubs and the rest of Northern Africa that the army side is no longer a team that every side would wish to draw.
