Wednesday

APR 0-0 Club Africain

APR coach Jimmy Mulisa has insisted his team still have a good chance of progressing to the first round of the 2018-19 CAF Champions League despite Wednesday’s goalless draw against Tunisia’s Club Africain at Kigali Stadium.

The last time the two sides faced each other was in 2011 when they played out a 2-all draw in Kigali before APR heavily lost 4-0 in the return-leg in Tunisia.

APR will need to win or a draw of goals to advance to the next round.

The Azam Rwanda Premier League champions had two edge-cutting occasions to win the game but failed to do the needful for a home victory ahead of the reverse fixture next week.

But Mulisa is pleased his side did not concede and believes that his guns are in for a tough "but not impossible” task at Stade Olympique de Radès.

For Mulisa, who was having his first competitive game since replacing Serbian Ljubomir Petrovic last week, his players are able to oust the Tunisians.

"The tie is still in the balance, and it is up to us to fight and make it to the first round. We had a good game overall but lacked aggressiveness in attack. Thankfully, we also didn’t concede,” Mulisa said in a post-match interview, insisting that his players played well against a tough opponent.

Strikers Issa Bigirimana and Muhadjiri Hakizimana, and midfielder Savio Dominique Nshuti could have given the military side something good to smile about in the second-half but their efforts were denied by goalie Charfi Saifeddine.

"We had a chance to win the game but we were not very lucky. Of course on paper, they (Club Africain) have the upper hand since they will be playing the return-leg game at home but we won’t let that trouble us. Our mission is to win,” the 34-year-old added.

The military side’s best campaign in the Champions League came in 2004 when they reached the third round under the stewardship of late Jean Marie Ntagwabira.

Since then, the country’s most successful club have faltered in the continent’s elite competition

editorial@newtimes.co.rw