Shooting Stars Ready to Withstand Sfaxien Pressure in Tunisia

Posted : 13 September 2026

Shooting Stars Sports Club are confident of securing their place in the next round of the CAF Confederation Cup as they prepare for a demanding second-leg encounter against CS Sfaxien in Tunisia.

The Oluyole Warriors carry a narrow 1–0 advantage into the decisive fixture, but Executive Chairman, Honourable Taiwo Lekan-Salami, believes the team is well equipped to cope with the pressure of playing away from home.

Lekan-Salami, who is with the team in Sousse, said the players have responded positively to their surroundings and are fully focused on completing the job.

“It’s been okay. I mean, very lovely place. The boys are charged, they’re motivated. The facilities, as you can see, are very good. It’s conducive for effective training, and I think we’re in pretty good stead, to be honest,” he said.

Shooting Stars secured the advantage in the first leg at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta and now need to protect their lead to progress to the next stage.

For Lekan-Salami, however, the objective is not merely to defend the advantage but to approach the encounter with the belief that the team can secure another victory.

“The expectation is very simple, actually. You know, we need to qualify. That means we need to either win or draw this encounter,” he said.

The chairman expressed strong confidence that the Oluyole Warriors would avoid defeat, insisting that victory remains their target despite the difficult nature of the assignment.

“I know we’re not going to lose, so I believe that we’re going to win this match. That’s what we’re going out for. And once we do, we know we’re in the next round,” he added.

While acknowledging that the encounter could present challenges, Lekan-Salami urged supporters in Oyo State and followers of the club to continue praying for the team.

“I want everybody to just continue to pray for us, for the team. I know there’ll be a lot of antics here and there, but we’re ready for it,” he said.

The chairman also pointed to the continental experience within the squad as another source of confidence, noting that some players have previously competed in CAF and UEFA Champions League-related environments.

“These are professionals, so some of them have played in Africa before, in CAF and Champions League, so I think we’ll be fine,” Lekan-Salami concluded.

The second leg is expected to be played behind closed doors following sanctions imposed on CS Sfaxien by CAF.

Shooting Stars will qualify for the next round by avoiding defeat, while a win would further underline their strong return to continental football after securing the first-leg advantage.

With the tie finely poised, the Ibadan-based side will need to combine discipline, composure and continental experience to protect their advantage and emerge from Tunisia with qualification secured.

Shooting Stars Ready to Withstand Sfaxien Pressure in Tunisia

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