‘We’ve got our confidence back,’ says Coulibaly after Gicumbi win

Al Hilal SC striker Adama Coulibaly has said that his side’s emphatic 5–0 victory over Gicumbi FC has restored belief in the squad as they look ahead to crucial upcoming fixtures. Coulibaly netted his ninth goal of the Rwanda Premier League season as Al Hilal dismantled Gicumbi at Amahoro Stadium on Tuesday, March 3. The win brought an end to a three-game winless run for the Sudanese giants, who had lost 1–0 to Al Merrikh SC, 3–1 to Mukura Victory Sports while they drew 1-1 against Rayon Sports FC. “We had good runs in behind, created opportunities to score goals, and defended well as a team. That made the difference,” Coulibaly said. “Now what we need is to keep winning games. It’s the only way to regain our confidence. Football is about confidence, and that’s what had been missing in our dressing room recently.” While the forward was pleased to be on the scoresheet, he also emphasized collective success over personal milestones. “I’m happy that I scored, but the most important thing is winning as a team. There’s still a long way to go because we have many matches ahead of us,” he added. “We still have a lot of work to do, but what matters most is commitment, consistency and strong performances from us players.” The win opened a three-point lead at the top of the Rwanda Premier League table for Al Hilal who have now scored 50 goals and conceded just 16 this campaign. Attention now shifts to continental action, with the club set to face Moroccan powerhouse RS Berkane in the quarterfinals of the CAF Champions League. The first leg will be played in Morocco on March 14, with the return leg scheduled in Rwanda eight days later.