Preliminary round

First leg

Feb. 12

Zanaco    Vs            APR FC

Second leg

Feb. 18

APR FC                  Vs           Zanaco

APR FC touched down in Zambia on Thursday afternoon ahead of their first leg of the CAF Champions League first qualification round against Zanaco FC due Saturday at the Sunset Stadium in Lusaka.

The Rwandan champions will go into the game intent on avoiding defeat to give themselves a chance when their Zambian opponents visit a week later. 

Head coach Jimmy Mulisa is in a buoyant mood and believes his team is capable of getting a positive result in Lusaka and finish the job at home in a week’s time.

Should they overcome Zenawi over the two legs, the military side will reach the first qualification round of the continent’s premier league where they would face the winner between Ngaya de Mbe of Cameroon and Young Africans (Yanga) of Tanzania. 

All the first round fixtures will be played on the weekends of March 11-13 and 17-19. The losers in the first round will later take part in the CAF Confederation Cup.

Since APR FC made their debut in Africa’s biggest club competition in 1997, they have never reached the group stages while their weekend’s opponents Zanaco reached the last 16 in 2010.

APR FC squad:

Goalkeepers: Emery Mvuyekure and Yves Kimenyi

Defenders: Michel Rusheshangoga, Emmanuel Imanishimwe, Albert Ngabo, Herve Rugwiro, Faustin Usengimana and Aimable Nsabimana.

Midfielders: Yannick Mukunzi, Amrani Nshimiyimana, Djihadi Bizimana, Janvier Benedata, Maxime Sekamana, Patrick Sibomana, Fiston Nkezingabo.

Striker: Onesme Twizerimana, Issa Bigirimana and Innocent Nshuti.

Officials: Jimmy Mulisa (head coach), Yves Rwasamanzi and Didier Bizimana (assistants), Ibrahim Mugisha (goalkeepers coach) and Lt. Jacques Twagirayezu (team doctor).

editorial@newtimes.co.rw