Rwanda Army coach targets Zamalek upset in Champions League return leg

Rwanda Army head coach Abd al-Rahim Talib says his side will travel to Cairo determined to overturn their 1-0 defeat by Zamalek in the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League.

Zamalek secured victory in the first leg with a 90th-minute goal from Nasser Mansi, leaving the tie finely poised ahead of the return match next week.

“We congratulate Zamalek, but we will try to produce a better performance in the second match and avoid wasting chances as we did,” Talib told MBC Egypt 2.

“We have a second half in Cairo. We will prepare ourselves to be better tactically and psychologically.”

Talib believes his team matched the Egyptian side for much of the contest but were undone by missed opportunities and a lack of composure.

“We played against Zamalek as equals in everything and missed more than one chance,” he added. “The haste came because the players are young. Only two of them had previously faced Pyramids last season.

“I am pleased with the performance, but I am not happy with the result.”

The Rwanda Army coach said his team would leave for Cairo in two days and would approach the return leg with the same intensity.

“We will travel to Cairo looking for victory and will play with the same enthusiasm,” he said. “We now understand Zamalek’s strengths and weaknesses better, so why can’t we produce a surprise in the return match?”

The second leg will be played at Cairo International Stadium on Saturday, 24 October.

Zamalek are competing in the CAF Champions League for the first time after being absent from the competition for three seasons.