Remo Stars told what to avoid vs Downs

24 Oct 2025, 15:03 by Clifton Mabasa · KickOff

Remo Stars have been warned about what to avoid in their upcoming CAF Champions League clash against Mamelodi Sundowns, which many have termed a 'dead rubber'.

Sundowns will host the Nigerian side at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in the second leg of the second preliminary round on Sunday, with kick-off scheduled for 15:00.

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Miguel Cardoso's men thrashed the Sky Blue Stars 5-1 in the first leg at the M.K.O. Abiola International Stadium in Nigeria last Sunday.

The emphatic and commanding scoreline highlighted the dominance and pedigree of the Tshwane giants in African football.

The South African champions, who lifted the CAF Champions League trophy in 2016, have remained a consistent force on the continent, frequently reaching the semi-finals in recent years and then the final of the last edition.

Remo Stars, on the other hand, do not have much experience in this competition, a factor that may have contributed to their heavy defeat on home soil.

Masandawana are aiming to advance to the group stage once again, while the Nigerian outfit will be bowing out of the competition should they fail to turn around the tie in Mzansi.

Ahead of the return leg in Tshwane, Nigerian coach Samson Unuanel has warned his compatriots to avoid conceding too many goals.

Unuanel admitted that his Remo have no chance of overturning the tie, emphasising that the team's focus should be on honouring the fixture and playing for pride.

"It will take a miracle for Remo Stars to overturn the first-leg result in Pretoria against a Mamelodi Sundowns side that are overexperienced in the competition," Unuanel said, per Sporting Life.

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"To say the truth, Remo Stars didn’t do themselves any favour with the massive scoreline they conceded in Abeokuta.

"They can only play for pride in the second leg and try to avoid conceding heavily again."

Remo Stars told what to avoid vs Downs

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