The Rwandan champions travelled to Lubumbashi on Sunday, September 6, 2026, for the first-leg match at Frédéric Kibassa Maliba Stadium.
The match was played behind closed doors, with no fans allowed into the stadium, as APR FC sought to avoid exposure to the Ebola outbreak reported in the country.
APR FC’s trip ended in disappointment after Sozé Zemanga scored the only goal of the match for Les Aigles du Congo in the 45th minute.
The defeat was compounded by the dismissal of Ssekiganda, who was shown a red card after the final whistle following an altercation with the match officials. The midfielder will therefore miss the return leg in Kigali.
APR FC players and officials were expected to return to Rwanda immediately after the match to begin preparations for the decisive second leg.
The return match will be played at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali on Friday, September 11, 2026, at 3 p.m.
APR FC will need to overturn the one-goal deficit to progress and will also have to avoid conceding at home, which would further complicate their qualification hopes.
The winner of the tie between APR FC and Les Aigles du Congo will face either Egypt’s Zamalek SC or Djibouti’s AS Port in the second preliminary round, scheduled for October 2026.
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