Ngabo calls for focus ahead of Liga Muculmana de Maputo tie

TodayLiga Muçulmana de Maputo vs APR - 3pm APR right back Albert Ngabo says his team should put their off-field problems aside ahead of the crucial Orange Caf Champions League preliminary round, first leg clash against Mozambique champions Liga Muçulmana de Maputo today. APR visits Liga at the Estádio Da Liga Muçulmana at the Matola stadium in Maputo for first leg while return leg set on the weekend of February 27-28 and March 1. “We have had some problems with resignation of coach but we have to put it aside and look forward to the game, which is very important to us,” said the experienced former Rayon Sports player. Ljubomir Petrovic resigned last week over what he named ‘unfulfilled promises’ and team will be under Vincent Mashami and Dusan Duje Suljagic as interim coaches. According to Ngabo, the fourteen-time Rwandan champions, APR will be looking for nothing less than a positive result against Liga Muçulmana de Maputo. “We are looking forward to win this match because it is very important to us, it will not be easy but we have to give our best and get good away result,” Ngabo added The army side returned to continental competition after a year’s absence. APR FC have represented Rwanda in the Champions League a record ten times since their inaugural appearance in 1997 with their best performance being a third round finish in the 2004 season. In Africa, APR’s best achievement was a semi-final finish in the 2003 Caf Winners’ Cup under late captain Jean Marie Ntagwabira. Their rival Liga Desportiva de Maputo is champions of 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014 and they won the Cup of Mozambique back in 2012. Liga is one of the richest clubs in Mozambique, it appeared in CAF Champions League three times in 2011, was eliminated in preliminary round, in 2012 reached the first round while last year, they reached first round and in 2013 they were knocked out at the play-off round CAF Confederation Cup.