APR claimed a convincing 3:0 victory over AS Kigali in the first preliminary round of the CAF Champions League on Thursday. The hosts had lost the reverse fixture 1:0 just five days earlier, but this time they were in complete control. D. Ouattara opened the scoring at the 33rd minute before a second goal at the 60th minute sealed the result.
By then the visitors had already felt the weight of the deficit. They had come here confident after beating their opponents in the previous meeting, but APR changed the complexion of the tie with a disciplined display. The second goal, though the scorer was not recorded, gave the home side breathing room and effectively ended any hopes of a comeback.
What struck me watching was how APR managed the game after going ahead. They didn't rush. They kept their shape and let AS Kigali push forward into space they didn't need to worry about. To be fair, the visitors didn't create much, but that says as much about the home side's organisation as it does about AS Kigali's attack.
The recent form makes this result more interesting. APR had lost three of their last five matches, including that heavy 5:0 defeat to Gor Mahia. AS Kigali, meanwhile, had won four of five before this match. You'd expect the momentum to lie with the visitors, but the table doesn't move on paper — it moves on the pitch.
There were no statistics supplied for this match, which is common in early rounds. What matters is the aggregate picture now. APR lead 3:1 on the two legs and have one foot in the next round. AS Kigali will need to produce something special on home soil to overturn this deficit.