Friday, October 16

APR vs Zamalek (Amahoro Stadium, 6:00 PM)

Zamalek captain Omar Gaber has expressed confidence that his side can overcome recent setbacks and return to winning ways when they face APR FC in Kigali in the first leg of the CAF Champions League second preliminary round on Friday.

The Egyptian giants arrived in Kigali early Tuesday morning, determined to bounce back from a disappointing 2-0 derby defeat to arch-rivals Al Ahly in the Egyptian Premier League.

Speaking upon the team's arrival, Gaber insisted that Zamalek had put the loss behind them and were fully focused on securing a positive result against the Rwandan champions.

"We are here to win. We respect APR FC, but Zamalek is a big club with great ambitions in this competition. We know the importance of getting a positive result away from home, and we are fully focused on achieving that,” Gaber said.

"The Al Ahly match is now behind us. We have learned from it, and our focus is entirely on APR. Every competition is different, and we are determined to show our character in Kigali.”

Friday's encounter is expected to attract significant attention across the continent as two of Africa's most prominent clubs battle for a place in the next round of the competition, with a coveted spot in the group stage at stake.

The clash also revives memories of one of the most remarkable nights in Rwandan club football history.

When the two sides last met in Kigali in the 2004 CAF Champions League, APR stunned Zamalek with a memorable 4-1 victory, eliminating the Egyptian giants 6-4 on aggregate.

That triumph remains one of APR's greatest achievements on the continental stage and serves as a source of inspiration for the current generation of players, who will be eager to write another memorable chapter in the club's history.

Zamalek, meanwhile, will be determined to avoid a repeat of that painful defeat as they seek to strengthen their chances of progressing in the competition.

With home support expected to play a crucial role at Amahoro Stadium, APR will be hoping to harness the atmosphere in Kigali and deliver another impressive performance against one of Africa's traditional football powerhouses.