Shooting Stars made a memorable return to continental football on Saturday, edging Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien 1-0 in the first leg of their CAF Confederation Cup first preliminary round clash at the Moshood Abiola Sports Complex in Abeokuta.
The victory marked a significant milestone for the Ibadan-based club, who were appearing in continental competition for the first time since 1999.
Shooting Stars started the game brightly, taking control of the early exchanges and forcing CS Sfaxien to retreat deep into their own half. The hosts’ attacking pressure eventually paid off in the 26th minute when Lucky Emmanuel found the back of the net to give Shooting Stars a deserved lead.
Buoyed by the advantage, the home side continued to compete strongly, but CS Sfaxien returned from the break with greater intensity. The Tunisian outfit pushed forward in search of an equaliser and subjected the Shooting Stars defence to sustained pressure.
However, the hosts had their goalkeeper to thank for keeping the visitors at bay. The shot-stopper produced a series of important saves to preserve Shooting Stars’ narrow advantage as the game entered its closing stages.
Despite the mounting pressure, Shooting Stars remained disciplined and held on for a crucial 1-0 victory.
The result gives the Nigerian side a slender advantage heading into the second leg, with CS Sfaxien set to host the return fixture in Sfax next weekend. The aggregate winner over the two legs will advance to the next stage of the competition.
