Nigeria’s League champions Remo Stars saw their CAF Champions League campaign come to a swift end after a 7-1 aggregate defeat to South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns in the second preliminary round. The return leg, played at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, ended 2-0 to the hosts, confirming their passage to the group stage with authority.
From the outset, Sundowns were in complete control. With regular goalkeeper Ronwen Williams given a rest, Denis Onyango started in goal, while Peter Shalulile and new signing Nuno Santos spearheaded the attack. It took just 20 minutes for the Brazilians’ superiority to show, as Santos combined elegantly with Aubrey Modiba before slotting home his first goal for the club.
Remo Stars, still stinging from their 5-1 home defeat in Abeokuta, tried to regroup and enjoyed a brief spell of possession midway through the first half. A short corner routine involving Ebuka Anthony and Adama Goita produced their best moment, but Onyango was untroubled.
Just before halftime, Sundowns doubled their advantage. A flowing midfield move ended with Shalulile finishing smartly inside the area, effectively ending the tie before the interval. From then on, it was a demonstration of control and maturity from Rulani Mokwena’s men.
The second half saw the hosts manage the game with ease. The introduction of Bathusi Aubaas and Lebo Mothiba added fresh impetus, while Sundowns’ structured passing and movement frustrated any Nigerian attempts to break forward. To their credit, Daniel Ogunmodede’s young Remo Stars side showed resilience in the closing stages. Substitute Samson Olasupo’s looping effort went narrowly over, and a deflected shot from the right flank clipped the post to the delight of the Pretoria crowd.
Despite the heavy aggregate scoreline, Remo Stars’ participation represented another valuable learning step in their continental journey. Competing in their fourth successive CAF campaign, the Sky Blue Stars continue to gather experience against Africa’s elite, having previously fallen short against AS FAR and Medeama SC.
For Sundowns, this was another routine display of professionalism — the kind of performance that cements their status among Africa’s powerhouses. With a place in the group stage secured, the five-time South African champions and 2016 African kings look ready to mount yet another deep run in the competition.
