Sunday, September 6

Aigles du Congo 1-0 APR FC

A long-range strike from Zemanga Soze handed Aigles du Congo a narrow 1-0 victory over APR FC in the first leg of their CAF interclub preliminary-round tie at Stade Frédéric Kibasa Maliba in Lubumbashi on Sunday.

The closely contested encounter was played behind closed doors, with supporters barred from the stadium, creating an unusual atmosphere as both sides battled for an advantage ahead of the decisive second leg.

The match was ultimately decided by a moment of individual brilliance from Soze. With clear-cut chances at a premium, the Congolese forward broke the deadlock in the 44th minute with a powerful effort from distance that beat APR goalkeeper Adolphe Hakizimana and found the back of the net.

APR FC pushed for an equaliser after the break, enjoying spells of possession and creating several attacking opportunities. However, Aigles du Congo remained disciplined at the back and successfully protected their slender advantage until the final whistle.

The result gives Aigles du Congo a 1-0 lead heading into the return leg, which will be played in Kigali on September 11.

Despite the defeat, APR can take encouragement from their overall performance. The Rwandan champions remained organised for much of the contest and limited their opponents to a single goal, leaving the tie firmly within reach ahead of the second leg.

APR’s chartered Ethiopian Airlines aircraft remained on standby after the match, allowing the team to return to Kigali immediately following the final whistle.