AS Kigali will attempt to pull a surprise on Sunday, October 16 when they face Libyan outfit Al Nasr at the Matyrs of February Stadium in Benghazi in the return leg of the second preliminary round game of the 2022/23 CAF Confederation Cup. The City of Kigali sponsored club drew goalless with Al Nasr in the first leg at Huye despite dominating possession. They now have a herculean task ahead as they seek to qualify away from home. Times Sport takes a look at five things AS Kigali can do to qualify in Libya. -Get an early goal Typical of a decider, the pressure will be on Al Nasr who are playing at home to deliver. This could favor AS Kigali as they can be very relaxed and play their normal game. A goal for AS Kigali in the early minutes of the game will unsettle Al Nasr as they will come out from all angles leaving spaces at the back which could be explored. -Keep a close eye on Islam El Ghannay The 21-year-old striker caused problems for the AS Kigali back four at Huye anytime he had the ball. El Ghannay was Al Nasr's brightest spot in attack in Huye. And he will be in his elements again in Benghazi. He has great footwork, flair, energy and above all, ability to take defenders on. The AS Kigali defenders must get hold of him as he can cause havoc any time. -Haruna Niyonzima should control the game Niyonzima is by far the most experienced player in the AS Kigali set up. He has seen it all previously in African club competitions with Yanga SC in Tanzania. The AS Kigali skipper is the live wire of the team and, if he excels, the team also does well. So much will depend on him on Sunday and he must be able to carry the team on his shoulders. -Avoid mistakes at the back Despite controlling the first leg and being the better side in terms of possession, AS Kigali could have still lost the game. The Kigali based club were just lucky in the 93rd minute of the first leg as Al Nasr attacker, Salah Fakroun Mohammed, missed target narrowly after poor defending by AS Kigali. If AS Kigali wants to return from Benghazi unscathed, their back four should be at their maximum best throughout the game. -Force the Libyans to play though the middle Typical of North African teams, Al Nasr are very efficient on the flanks as they like to play on the line and whip in crosses for their attackers to connect. Just as the Amavubi U-23 did in Huye against Libya, AS Kigali should go by the same approach – cutting their opponents off the wings by deploying a 3-5-2 system and forcing them to the midfield. With the likes of Rashid Kalisa, Olivier Niyonzima, Lawrence Juma in the AS Kigali midfield, and some luck, they can have the upper hand over the Libyans.
