APR FC Overturn First-Leg Deficit to Eliminate Les Aigles du Congo
KIGALI — Rwanda’s APR FC produced a commanding 3-0 victory over DR Congo’s Les Aigles du Congo at Amahoro Stadium on Friday night, reversing a 1-0 first-leg defeat and advancing 3-1 on aggregate in the CAF Champions League first preliminary round.
Djibril Ouattara opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, capitalizing on sustained pressure to level the tie on aggregate. After the interval, Christian Ishimwe curled in a free-kick around the hour mark to put the hosts ahead in the contest. Ouattara then converted a penalty in the 77th minute to complete his brace and seal qualification.
The result sent the Rwandan champions into the next qualifying round, where they will face the winner of the tie between Egypt’s Zamalek and Djibouti’s AS Port.
APR had arrived home trailing after a narrow 1-0 loss in Lubumbashi on 6 September, where Soze Zemanga scored the only goal. That first-leg fixture was played behind closed doors at Stade Frédéric Kibassa Maliba after CAF rejected APR’s request to relocate the match amid concerns over security, an Ebola outbreak in parts of the DRC, and political tensions between the two countries.
Head coach Abderrahim Taleb had said before the return leg that playing in front of home supporters would provide extra motivation. APR were missing midfielder Ronald Ssekiganda through suspension, but the team showed sufficient depth to control the contest.
The tie carried added resonance because APR is owned and managed by the Rwanda Defence Force, while Les Aigles du Congo, a Kinshasa-based club that finished second in the Congolese league last season, is linked to prominent political figures in the DRC. The first-leg venue dispute and the decision to play without spectators had already highlighted the strained atmosphere surrounding the pairing.
Rwandan supporters celebrated a dominant home performance and a successful comeback. Congolese reports described the result more tersely as the Eagles being “plucked” in Kigali after their encouraging start in Lubumbashi.
APR now turn their attention to the final qualifying round as they chase a place in the CAF Champions League group stage. For Les Aigles du Congo, the campaign ends at the first hurdle for a second consecutive season.
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