Egyptian giants one step away from the next round. Prediction for the CAF Champions League match Zamalek vs APR
Zamalek and Rwanda’s APR will meet on Saturday, October 24, in the second-leg match of the CAF Champions League second qualifying round. The game will be played in Egypt and will kick off at 19:00 CET. I am backing a winner in this match.
H2H and statistical facts
- Zamalek have won their last two matches by identical 1-0 scorelines.
- The Egyptians have lost two home matches in a row.
- APR have conceded in four consecutive away matches.
- The first leg ended with a narrow 1-0 victory for Zamalek.
Zamalek
Zamalek head into the second leg on the back of mixed results in the domestic league. The team showed fairly consistent form at the start of the season and regularly picked up points, but they lost 0-2 to Al Ahly in the Cairo derby.
The defeat was a painful blow, but the Egyptian club did not remain in crisis for long: on October 20, Zamalek beat Asyut Petroleum 1-0. Ahmed Sherif scored the only goal in the 26th minute.
At the start of the Egyptian league campaign, Zamalek remain among the leaders. The team knows how to get results even in difficult matches, although they do not always produce a high number of goals. The victory over Asyut Petroleum once again showed that the Egyptians are capable of controlling the game and protecting a narrow lead.
On the international stage, Zamalek made a confident start to qualifying. In the first round, the Egyptians overcame Djibouti’s AS Port 6-1 on aggregate, highlighting the significant gap in class. APR were their next opponents, and the first meeting proved far more difficult. In Kigali, the team struggled for a long time to break down the hosts’ defense, and the decisive goal came only in the 90th minute, scored by substitute Nasser Mansi.
APR
Rwanda’s APR opened their domestic league campaign with a 4-2 victory over Marine FC. The match was far from straightforward, however: the team trailed 0-2 before turning the game around and scoring four goals. The result underlined APR’s attacking potential and their ability to respond to adverse situations. At the same time, the match exposed defensive problems that higher-level opponents may be able to exploit.
At the start of the season, APR have played fewer domestic league matches than many of their rivals, as the team’s league campaign was delayed because of their participation in the CAF Champions League. That makes it difficult to assess their current form solely on the basis of domestic results. The win over Marine FC provided a confidence boost, but the meeting with Zamalek represented a much more serious test — both in terms of the quality of the opponent and tactical discipline.
In the first qualifying round of the CAF Champions League, APR eliminated Congo’s Eagles of Congo 3-1 on aggregate. After a 0-1 away defeat, the Rwandan side produced a convincing 3-0 victory in the return leg at home. That comeback confirmed APR’s ability to raise their level in decisive matches and fight back after setbacks. Therefore, even a narrow defeat in the first game against Zamalek should not deprive the team of belief in their own ability.
APR did not look hopeless in Kigali and created several good chances. The Rwandans started actively, applied pressure and could have opened the scoring, but their finishing let them down. In particular, the team missed several promising opportunities, while Zamalek punished them for a lack of concentration in the closing stages.
What should you bet on?
Zamalek are clear favorites for the second leg thanks to home advantage, their higher individual quality and their victory in the first match. At the same time, there is no need to expect an open game from the opening minutes: the hosts may focus on ball control and will not commit men forward unnecessarily. APR will have to take risks, as they need a win to keep their campaign alive, but that could give the Egyptians space for quick attacks. My pick is Zamalek to win with a -1.5 handicap.
