As Etincelles target Confederation Cup second round

Orange Champions League

APR (Rwa)    vs Club Africain (Tun)
Ulinzi (Ken)                           vs Zamalek (Egy)
Club de Mitsoudjé (Com)      vs Simba (Tan)
Vital’O (Bur)                          vs Coton Sport (Cam)
Ocean View (Zan)                  vs AS V. Club (DRC)
 
Orange Confederation Cup

AC Leopards (Con)                       vs Etincelles (Rwa)
Missisle (Gab)                               vs Inter stars (Bur)
AS Aviacao (Angola)                    vs Sofapaka (Ken)
KMKM (Zan)                                vs DCMP (DRC)
Mbabane Highlanders (Swa)         vs Victors (Uga)
Young Africans (Tan)                    vs Dedebit (Eth)
 
WHILE APR has won everything on offer on the local and regional scene, they have struggled to transform this form on the big stage and it remains to be seen if new club coach Ernie Brandts has the expertise to finally end that jinx.

The Primus National Football League (PNFL) champions have been drawn against Tunisia’s Club Africain in the preliminary round of the 2011 Orange Champions League.
Monday’s draw also saw Etincelles paired with Congo Brazzaville’s AC Leopards in the Orange Confederation Cup preliminary stage.

APR’s former midfielder and now assistant coach Eric Nshimiyimana is now called for early preparations.

"Every club on the continent dreams of playing in this competition and when the opportunity arises, they give it everything so it should not be any different with us,” he emphasized.

"Club Africain is one of Africa’s most recognized clubs and has a rich history so they are a tough test for us,” he conceded before adding, "But this is a competition were the best prepared team on the day prevails so we have to prepare well.”

APR will host the Tunisian side in the first leg, to be held in Kigali on the weekend of January 28-30, before completing the tie two weeks later in Tunis.

The winner will then play Kenya’s Ulinzi Stars or Egyptian champions Zamalek in the first round.

Last year, APR had a premature exit (first round) following a 3-1 aggregate defeat against eventual champions TP Mazembe.

Meanwhile, Etincelles are eager to make their presence felt in the Confederation Cup, a subsidiary of the Champions league.

The Western Province side will play AC Leopards with a possibility of facing Angola’s de Agosto in the second round if they win.

Etincelles Coach Abdu Bizimana said, "It is a great opportunity for the players to showcase their talent and I’m sure they are looking forward to the challenge.”

In 1989, Etincelles competed in the continental championship beating Burundi’s Vital’O in the preliminary round but going on to lose to DRC’s Kalamo 1-0 in the second round.

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