Rayon Sports head coach Francis Haringingo praised his side’s tactical response after they secured a valuable 1-1 draw against Cameroon’s Panthère Sportive du Ndé in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round on Friday.
The Rwandan giants fell behind early at Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaoundé when Valentin Beo Batto scored a spectacular overhead kick in the 13th minute.
Despite the setback, Haringingo remained calm and trusted the tactical plan prepared by his technical team.
"The way we thought about it is how it happened,” Haringingo said after the match, expressing satisfaction with how his substitutions and tactical adjustments influenced the game.
Rayon struggled to establish control during the opening stages, with Panthère creating the better chances and enjoying greater attacking momentum.
The hosts registered seven shots on target in the first half compared with Rayon’s four, while they also won four corners to the visitors’ two.
Seeking to change the balance of the game, Haringingo introduced Ibrahim Mansour Djingarey at the start of the second half, replacing Christian Nisingizwe to strengthen the midfield.
The adjustment helped Rayon gain more possession and push Panthère deeper into their own half.
The decisive changes came in the 71st minute when Haringingo brought on Daniel Muhoza and Mubarak Tuyizere.
The coach opted for a more aggressive approach, pairing two attacking players in an attempt to force an equaliser.
"You saw that we immediately brought on Mubarak and played with two attackers,” Haringingo explained. "We also introduced Muhoza, who can play the same role as Elie Tatou. Things went exactly as we planned.”
The increased attacking pressure began to trouble the hosts, with Rayon creating several promising opportunities.
Their persistence finally paid off five minutes from full time when Muhoza delivered an excellent cross from the left flank and Junior Kameni rose highest to power a header past goalkeeper Nomo Onguene.
Haringingo said the equaliser was a direct result of the attacking changes made after the break.
"It was a bold decision to field so many attacking players, but it paid off,” he said. "The goal came from those changes.”
The coach also said the match provided valuable lessons that will help Rayon prepare for the return leg.
"We have learned important things from this match and they will help us prepare for the second leg,” he said.
The draw leaves the tie finely balanced ahead of the decisive return fixture at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali on September 12.