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We are ready to do battle with Tusker - APR tactician Brandts

02-17-2012

We are ready to do battle with Tusker - APR tactician Brandts

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Rwanda’s Army Patriotic Front (APR) coach Ernie Brandts is confident they will get a convincing result to take back to Kigali when they meet Kenya’s Tusker FC in the preliminary match of the Africa Champions League at Nyayo Stadium on Saturday.

The Rwandese champions arrived in Nairobi on Thursday evening and held a light training session at the match venue with coach Brandts insisting that they will be going for nothing short of victory. Coach Brandts whose side will be missing the services of goalkeeper Jean Luc Ndayishimiye spoke to Cafonline.com ahead of the match.

Cafonline.com: What are you expectations from Saturday’s match against Tusker?

Brandts: We want to win convincingly so that the return leg can be a formality. I have no idea of what kind of football Tusker plays but I know they are good side. I have lots of respect for them because winning the Kenyan league was not a fluke for them. By winning the league it means they were the best team and deserved it. There is a lot of quality in my team and we are confident that we shall get the result we want in Nairobi.

Cafonline.com: Your team has been a regular participant in the Africa competition. What is your target for this season?

Brandts: We want to try and go all the way. Last year we were knocked out of the competition in round two after losing to Tunisia’s Club Africain (6-2) aggregate. I believe we have a good team capable of going far this year. It is a competition every Africa team would love to win and that is why we will give it our best. If we manage to win in Nairobi, then we will be in a better position to wrap the match in Kigali in a fortnight’s time.

Cafonline.com: Do you have any injury worries ahead of the match?

Brandts: Yes. In fact we have had a bad start to the season with injuries. Goalkeeper Jun Luk is definitely out alongside Saint Preux Leonel (visa problems), Ernest Kwizera and Kipson Atuheire are also out. We will of course miss their services but must be prepared to deliver the goods without them. Am very confident that they will both be fit for the return leg encounter but what we are focusing at now is Saturday’s match which we must win. On the positive note the Brazilian trio of Diego Oliveiro Alves, Douglas Lopes Carneiro and Alex de Avila Peixoto will make debuts.

Cafonline.com: What is your game plan on Saturday?

Brandts: We will play a very open minded game. We don’t want to concede many goals and that is why we will go for a collective role. We will defend and at the same time attack. It will be fantastic if we score earlier because that will mean we defend. We will also look at Tusker’s approach of the match and maybe change our tactics.

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