With the war in Sudan still preventing matches in Khartoum, Al Hilal have made Kigali their temporary base. This encounter marked their inaugural continental home game in exile, and they played it with the defiance of a club carrying the weight of a displaced nation.
The Sudanese side struck first in first-half stoppage time when Omer Ahmed finished confidently from a Girumugisha assist, beating the MC Alger defence and sending Hilal into the break with a 10 lead.
MCA, playing away from home, responded strongly after the restart. Their pressure forced Mohamed Karshom into an own goal in the 53rd minute, briefly bringing Mokwenas men level at 11 and shifting the momentum.
But Al Hilal refused to fold even after going down to ten players.
They reorganised quickly, defended with remarkable discipline, and struck again in the 75th minute. Substitute Mohamed Abdelrahman, fed by Ebuela, produced a sharp finish to restore the hosts lead.
The final minutes were chaotic and emotional. Al Hilal eventually finished the match with ten vs nine after a late dismissal, but their defensive bravery held firm. MCA pushed hard, committing numbers forward, yet the Sudanese blocked, cleared and closed down every gap in front of their adopted Rwandan crowd.
For Rulani Mokwena, the defeat marks the first setback of his tenure. His side controlled phases of the game but lacked the clinical edge needed away from home in a fiercely contested Champions League tie.
For Al Hilal, the victory is symbolic. Their Kigali debut delivered not just three points, but a powerful statement of resilience a team displaced by war, yet unbroken and unbowed on the continental stage.