Rwandan Army coach promises a different Zamalek test in return leg

Abdel Rahim Taleb says Rwandan Army can overturn their 1-0 defeat by Zamalek and remain confident of reaching the group stage of the CAF Champions League.

Zamalek secured an away victory in the first leg of the second preliminary round, with Nasser Mansi scoring the only goal of the match.

Despite the result, Rwandan Army created several opportunities and Taleb believes his side were unfortunate not to take a better result into the return fixture.

“We created many chances against Zamalek, but they made the most of their opportunity and scored,” the Moroccan coach told On Sport. “That was the difference between one player and another.”

Taleb said he had prioritised the psychological side of the game when speaking to his players after the first leg, insisting their performance had merited more.

“I focused on the psychological aspect in my discussions with the players today because they produced a very good performance against a great opponent,” he added. “They deserved a better result.”

The Rwandan Army manager congratulated Zamalek on their win but warned that his team would approach the second match differently.

“I congratulate Zamalek on this victory, but we will show a different face in the return leg,” said Taleb. “We will try to give our best to make up for the first-leg defeat. We will hold on to our chances of securing qualification until the final moment.”

Zamalek will play the return match on 24 October. The Egyptian side will qualify for the group stage with either a win or a draw.