Playing in front of their home supporters at the Amahoro Stadium on Friday evening, the military side overturned a 1-0 first-leg deficit with a clinical display that left no doubt about their superiority over the two legs.
Djibril Ouattara opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, giving APR a vital foothold in the contest. The Burkinabé forward continued his influential evening by converting a penalty in the 77th minute to complete his brace. In between, Christian Ishimwe found the net in the 60th minute to put the hosts firmly in control at 2-0.
The 3-0 victory completed a 3-1 aggregate success for APR, who had lost the first leg 1-0 in Lubumbashi the previous weekend. That narrow defeat, decided by a goal from Soze Zemanga, had left the Rwandan side needing a strong response on home soil. They delivered it emphatically.
APR controlled large periods of the match, using their organised structure and attacking quality to break down a resilient Congolese side. The home crowd played its part, creating an intense atmosphere that lifted the players as they chased the result required to progress.
The win keeps APR’s continental ambitions alive and sends them into the second preliminary round of Africa’s premier club competition. The Rwandan champions will now prepare for their next assignment knowing they have the quality to compete at this level when performing at their best.
For Aigles du Congo, the defeat ends their campaign at the first hurdle despite a promising start in the first leg. The Congolese side showed organisation in Lubumbashi but were ultimately unable to contain APR’s intensity and clinical finishing in Kigali.
APR, who reclaimed the Rwandan Premier League title last season, continue to carry the country’s flag with distinction on the continental stage. Their ability to respond after an away setback underlines the character within the squad and the strength of their home form.
Attention now turns to the next round, where APR will look to build on this impressive result and push deeper into the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League. The 3-0 triumph has given the Club Giants and their supporters plenty of reasons for optimism as the African campaign gathers momentum.