Al Hilal coach Reghecampf delighted after domination of APR FC

Al Hilal Omdurman head coach Laurențiu Reghecampf praised his players after their commanding 4-0 victory over defending champions APR FC on Thursday night, insisting his side were superior from the opening whistle to the final minute.

The result further strengthened Al Hilal’s grip at the top of the BK Pro League standings as the Sudanese giants moved closer to securing the title in their guest campaign in Rwanda.

Al Hilal add to lead in latest table

 

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Madické Kane gave Al Hilal the perfect start after curling home a superb free kick in the opening stages of the match. The visitors continued to dominate proceedings before Ahmed Salem doubled the advantage before halftime with a deflected effort that left goalkeeper Adolphe Hakizimana with no chance.

Second half goals from Sudan national team stars Abdel Raouf and captain Mohamed Abdel Rahman completed a comprehensive victory that underlined Al Hilal’s impressive form in recent weeks.

Speaking after the match, Reghecampf expressed satisfaction with the way his players executed the tactical plans prepared during training, saying the team showed confidence, discipline, and quality throughout the contest.

“There was from the first minute till the last minute the better team,” Reghecampf said. “The players enjoyed what we train and they were much, much better. We have to respect the opponent, but tonight there was a big difference between us and APR.”

The Romanian tactician also spoke about Kane’s stunning free kick, revealing that several players had been assigned responsibility for set-pieces but the midfielder stepped up with confidence when the opportunity arrived.

“It’s not only about training, it’s also about the moment,” he explained. “We had different players prepared to take the free kicks and Madike was one of them. He hit the ball with concentration and had the luck that the wall separated and then he scored.”

Despite his happiness with the performance, the coach admitted concern over Kane’s injury after the midfielder was forced off later in the match.

“I’m very happy for him, but at the same time I’m very sad because he went out injured and I hope we will not have a problem with him,” he added.

Reghecampf also confirmed that squad rotation will be important in the remaining fixtures as Al Hilal balance domestic league duties with upcoming continental assignments in Sudan.

“We are going to make a mix because we also need a good team for the remaining games,” he said. “We hope to win the next match and continue playing quality football before travelling to Sudan for the playoff.”

APR did create chances of their own, with Pacifique Ngabonziza delivering a dangerous cross that Gilbert Mugisha failed to convert from close range, but the defending champions struggled to cope with Al Hilal’s intensity and organization throughout the night.

The victory means Al Hilal have now won seven of their last eight league matches and remain unbeaten during that run since their CAF Champions League quarterfinal exit against RS Berkane.

After 30 rounds, Al Hilal lead the standings with 67 points from 29 matches, followed by Al Merrikh on 58 points from 29 games, while APR sit third with 56 points after playing 30 matches. Rayon Sports are fourth with 48 points.