Rwandan champions APR FC suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Egypt’s Pyramids FC in the first leg of the CAF Champions League preliminary round at Kigali Pele Stadium.
Fiston Kalala Mayele scored both goals for Pyramids in the 51st and 85th minutes, giving the visitors a solid lead heading into the return leg on Sunday, October 5.
Despite a spirited performance, APR FC couldn’t find a breakthrough and now faces an uphill task in Cairo.
APR FC head into the second leg with a perfect record of 6 consecutive wins across all competitions, including 4 wins in their last 4 home fixtures.
Pyramids FC have won 3 of their last 6 matches and have recorded 2 draws in their last 3 away encounters.
In their previous CAF Champions League meetings, APR FC has suffered losses in 50% of their last 4 encounters against Pyramids FC.
Last season, APR FC finished 4 points clear atop the Rwandan Premier League, with a blistering run of 6 consecutive wins to end the season.
The teams have met twice in each of the last two seasons, with both encounters in Kigali ending in draws.
The home legs in Egypt were won by Pyramids FC.
The “Both teams to score” bet has landed in the last 3 meetings between the two sides.
The second leg promises to be thrilling as Pyramids FC holds the advantage, but APR FC’s form could still make for an interesting challenge on their home turf.
