Shooting Stars marked their return to continental football after 27 years with a narrow 1-0 win over Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien in the CAF Confederation Cup first leg.
Shooting Stars’ return to continental football finally arrived on Saturday, and the Ibadan club marked it with a result. A single goal from Lucky Emmanuel was enough to beat Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien 1-0 in the first leg of their CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round tie, giving 3SC a narrow but meaningful lead to defend.
The match, played at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta, was Shooting Stars’ first CAF Confederation Cup appearance in 27 years — a gap that says as much about the club’s recent history as it does about Saturday’s result. Lucky Emmanuel broke the deadlock in the 25th minute, converting a chance that gave the Oluyole Warriors a deserved lead heading into the break.
That lead held for the rest of the match, but not without a fight. CS Sfaxien came out of the dressing room after half-time and laid siege to the Shooting Stars goal, piling on pressure in search of an equaliser. However, the home side’s goalkeeper stood firm, and a resolute defensive display kept the Tunisians at arm’s length until the final whistle.
Shooting Stars actually had further opportunities to extend their lead late on, with chances going unconverted in the closing stages. As a result, the tie remains firmly alive heading into next weekend’s second leg in Tunisia, where CS Sfaxien will fancy their chances of overturning a one-goal deficit on home soil.
For now, though, the advantage belongs to the Nigerian side. A place in the next round of Africa’s second-tier club competition is within reach, and it would mark a serious statement of intent for a club that has spent nearly three decades away from continental competition.
Shooting Stars aren’t the only Nigerian club chasing continental progress this month. Enugu Rangers and Rivers United both learned their opponents in the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup draws earlier this month, and Rangers have already been active in their own preliminary tie. Meanwhile, Shooting Stars’ domestic form has been solid too — they opened their 2026/27 NPFL season with a win over Inter Lagos, suggesting a squad capable of competing on two fronts at once.
That domestic and continental double workload is no small thing for an NPFL side. Balancing a Confederation Cup campaign against a 20-club league schedule (see our full rundown of this season’s NPFL clubs) will test squad depth over the coming weeks, especially with the second leg in Tunisia landing right in the middle of a busy September fixture list.
The second leg is scheduled for next weekend in Tunisia. A draw or even a narrow defeat would be enough to send Shooting Stars through on aggregate, so long as they don’t concede too heavily. Nigerian football fans will be watching closely — a first continental progression in 27 years would be a genuine landmark for the club and a boost for NPFL sides’ reputation on the continental stage more broadly.
What was the score between Shooting Stars and CS Sfaxien?
Shooting Stars won the first leg 1-0, with Lucky Emmanuel scoring the only goal in the 25th minute.
Where was the match played?
At the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta, Nigeria.
When is the second leg?
The return fixture is scheduled for next weekend in Tunisia.
Source: Premium Times Nigeria.
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