The formation of AS Kigali which will play against Al Nasr of Libya, Saturday, October 8 is in full confidence. For this first leg of the second round of the CAF Cup, this team of the city of Kigali has no absentee in its squad. The objective of the club is to reach the group stage, according to its leaders.
On Saturday, October 8 at the Huye stadium in southern Rwanda, the team of AS Kigali will host Al Nasr of Libya in a match counting for the second round of the CAF Cup. Even if this team has hardly eliminated Djibouti Telecom (0-0, 1-0) in the first round, the confidence is total at the team of the city hall of Kigali.
Since the appointment of coach Casa Mbungo Andre at the head of the club on April 25, 2022, AS Kigali is undefeated. A series that gives confidence to the players. Before going to the South of Rwanda, they have also made a good match of championship against Rutsiro. They won without forcing the field (1-2). If they continue this momentum, they will certainly have a word to say against Al Nasr.
This Libyan team knows very well this competition. It has indeed reached the quarterfinals for the 2019-2020 edition while AS Kigali has never reached the group stage. Can this year be the best? This is in any case what the leaders of this team think. "This year, we have players capable of qualifying for the group stage. We have recruited experienced players, most of whom play for the national team in their respective countries, to achieve our goal. If we do not succeed this year, it will be a failure for us," said Joseph Nshimiye, spokesman for AS Kigali to Radio Flash FM. He added: "Our under-23 national team eliminated the Libyan team last month; and then, just next door, Flambeau du Centre from Burundi also eliminated Libyan champions Al Ittihad Tripoli from the Champions League. These results show that the teams of Libya can be taken. Al Nasr is within our reach and we will do our best to beat them with a comfortable lead so that we are comfortable in the return match".
Nevertheless, even if the leaders of this club are confident before this game, the players who made an average game against Djibouti Telecom in the first round should offer something else in the game. Otherwise, they will have difficulties against Al Nasr, more experienced and stronger than the Djibouti team that gave AS Kigali a hard time.
The coach Casa Mbugo André also stressed in the press conference after the game. "We must raise the level for the games that follow. If we can't convert the many chances we create, it will be difficult for us to beat the big teams. I hope my players will do that.
Experience has shown that no Rwandan team has eliminated an Arab team in CAF inter-club competitions. But Hussein Shabani, striker of AS Kigali, top scorer of the Rwandan championship twice successively, is calm. "We are experienced players. We are ready to win this match. Our supporters must know that AL Nasr does not have the level of teams from Tunisia or Egypt.” If AS Kigali wants to reach the group stage, it is time to break this myth against Al Nasr.
