Remo Stars technical adviser Tiago Conde has urged his players to embrace the challenge of facing Mamelodi Sundowns in the CAF Champions League, admitting that his side “don’t have the same weapons” as the South African giants.
The NPFL champions progressed to the second preliminary round after an impressive 5-0 aggregate win over US Zilimadjou of Comoros, sealing the tie with a 1-0 victory away from home last weekend.
Remo Stars earn their shot at a CAF heavyweight
The Ikenne-based side will now host Sundowns on 17 October before travelling to Tshwane for the return leg on 24 October.
The Sky Blue Stars showed both attacking flair and composure across the two-legged tie with Zilimadjou.
They blew their visitors away in the first leg in Abeokuta, running out 4-0 winners, before Alex Ayowah’s decisive penalty in the return leg completed the job.
“We were aggressive in the first game, especially in the opening 20 minutes and the last half hour,” Conde reflected. “The second leg was approached differently because we already had a big advantage. But we stayed focused and got the goal we needed.”
The result shows Remo Stars’ gradual maturity on the continental stage as they look to build on their NPFL title-winning season.
Conde admits underdog role but promises a fight
Looking ahead to the clash with Sundowns, a team that reached the CAF Champions League final last season and entered this year’s tournament at this stage due to their ranking, Conde was frank about the task ahead.
“When you play a team with the dimension of Mamelodi Sundowns, you have to be prepared,” the Portuguese coach said. “Your mindset has to be in the right place because you know you are facing a very good team.
“We don’t have the same weapons, but we will fight with what we have,” he added.
The meeting promises to be one of the most compelling fixtures of the preliminary rounds, with Remo Stars aiming to prove they can go toe-to-toe with one of Africa’s most powerful clubs next month.
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