Egypt’s Ahly claimed a 2-0 first-leg win in Kigali, thanks to two second-half goals from veteran striker Emad Meteb and winger Walid Soliman.
Ahly are taking nothing for granted, however, as they seek to avoid last year’s stunning reverse when they were eliminated at the last-16 stage at the hands of Libya’s Ahli Benghazi.
“After what happened last year, all the players are fully focused on winning the title of the most important competition in Africa, because we also want to return to the Club World Cup,” Ahly’s Spanish coach Juan Garrido said in an interview with Ahram’s sports magazine.
“We want to keep our chances from the very beginning to avoid a repeat of last year’s early elimination. We should be consistent from the beginning.”
Ahly were only eliminated twice from the round of 32 of Africa’s elite club competition during the past 20 years.
They were knocked out in 1998 on away goals following a 3-3 aggregate draw with Ethiopian Coffee and in 2004 following a 1-0 aggregate defeat by Sudan’s Hilal.
Ahly will miss new arrival Peter Ebimobowei due to a hamstring injury he sustained in the team’s 2-1 Egyptian Premier League win over lowly Ragaa on Tuesday.
