CAF Confederation Cup: Shooting Stars take narrow advantage into Sfaxien return leg

Posted : 07 September 2026

Shooting Stars of Ibadan took a slender advantage into the second leg of their CAF Confederation Cup tie after edging Tunisian side CS Sfaxien 1-0 at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena, Abeokuta, on Saturday.

Lucky Emmanuel scored the only goal of the encounter in the 25th minute, finishing off one of Shooting Stars’ promising attacking moves to give the Nigerian side a deserved lead going into the break.

The Oluyole Warriors were made to work hard for the victory after the restart as CS Sfaxien increased the pressure in search of an equaliser.

Shooting Stars, however, stood firm at the back, with their goalkeeper making crucial saves to deny the visitors and preserve the narrow advantage.

The Ibadan-based side also had opportunities to put the result beyond doubt late in the game but failed to make their chances count, leaving the tie delicately poised ahead of the return leg in Tunisia next weekend.

Despite the slim margin of victory, Shooting Stars head coach Salisu Yusuf remained confident about his team's chances, insisting that his players could have secured a more comfortable win.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Yusuf said Shooting Stars created enough opportunities to score three or four goals but acknowledged that football could be unpredictable.

The experienced coach also ruled out adopting a purely defensive approach in Tunisia, saying his team would go into the second leg with a positive mindset and look to play for a result rather than simply protect their lead.

According to Yusuf, the pressure on CS Sfaxien to score on home soil could work in Shooting Stars' favour by creating spaces for his players to exploit on the counter-attack.

He drew from his previous experience in continental football, recalling an away victory in Egypt during his time as Rangers coach, as a source of confidence ahead of the trip to Tunisia.

Yusuf also highlighted the progress made by Shooting Stars since his arrival, saying the team had undergone significant transformation and would continue to improve in the coming months.

On the fitness of a player who picked up an injury during the encounter, the coach said further medical assessment would be conducted to determine the extent of the injury, expressing hope that it was not serious.

Yusuf added that Shooting Stars would adopt a tactical approach in the second leg as they seek to secure the result required to advance in the CAF Confederation Cup.

CAF Confederation Cup: Shooting Stars take narrow advantage into Sfaxien return leg

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