By Wale Mustapha
Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Thapelo Morena has promised a fully focused and determined performance as the South African champions prepare to face Nigeria’s Remo Stars in the first leg of their CAF Champions League second preliminary round tie.
The high-stakes encounter is scheduled for Sunday at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, with both sides aiming to take an early advantage in their pursuit of a spot in the group stage.
Remo Stars, champions of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), advanced to this round after a convincing 5–0 aggregate victory over US Zilimadjou of Comoros.
Their emphatic showing in the opening round has set the stage for what promises to be a fiercely contested two-legged tie.
Speaking to Sundowns’ official website, Morena underscored the importance of mental readiness and tactical discipline ahead of the trip to Nigeria.
“The game starts when we land in Nigeria. We are going to have to put our minds in it, and whatever comes our way, we just need to handle it,” Morena said.
“We need to make sure that we do what’s best at our level.”
Mamelodi Sundowns—one of the tournament favourites and a dominant force in African club football—will be looking to assert their pedigree early, but will be wary of a Remo Stars side playing with momentum and the backing of a home crowd.
The return leg is expected to take place in South Africa next weekend, with the aggregate winner progressing to the lucrative group stage of Africa’s premier club competition.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
