By Wale Mustapha
Former Shooting Stars Technical Adviser Fatai Amoo has expressed confidence in Remo Stars’ ability to overcome Comoros side US Zilimadjou in the first preliminary round of the CAF Champions League.
Remo Stars, who have failed to progress beyond the opening round in their last two appearances, will host the first leg before traveling to Comoros for the return fixture.
The winner of the tie will face South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns in the second preliminary round.
The first leg matches are scheduled for the weekend of September 19–21, with second legs taking place from September 26–28. The second preliminary round fixtures will be held on October 17–19 and October 24–26.
Reacting to the draw, Amoo praised Remo Stars for their quality and experience, emphasizing their capacity to secure a positive result at home.
“US Zilimadjou are a tough opponent, but that won’t stop Remo Stars from getting the job done at home first,” Amoo told Complete Sports. “A three-goal margin in the first leg will definitely put Remo Stars in the driving seat ahead of the second leg. I am optimistic Remo Stars will get a positive result against Zilimadjou.”
Since the 2019/20 season, no Nigerian club has advanced to the group stage of the CAF Champions League. This season, both Remo Stars and Rivers United carry the hopes of breaking that long-standing jinx.
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.
