Nigeria Champions Remo Stars beat US Zilimadjou 1-0 (5-0 on aggregate) to reach the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League on Friday, www.aclsports.com reports.
The Sky Blue Stars thumped the Comoros side 4-0 in the first leg last Sunday, before a tidy 1-0 win in the return leg. Both fixtures were decided at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta.
Following a huge lead in the reverse fixture, Remo Stars, who started Haruna Hadi and Adama Goita, in place of Adedayo Olamilekan and Joseph Abah, were in control early on, but they failed to test the opposition goalkeeper.
On the other hand, US Zilimadjou were more purposeful with their play as they had a couple of chances to go into the lead. Remo Stars goalkeeper Obassa Adeniyi made two good saves in the first half to deny the Comoros Island side, as the Ikenne outfit ended the half without a shot on target.
After the break, it was more of the same, with Remo Stars enjoying a lion share of the ball possession. However, the introduction of Michael Ibe, Samson Olasupo and Ibrahim Shuaib in place of Haruna Hadi, Adama Goita and Samuel Anakwe, changed the game. The Sky Blues were more direct, and they soon had an effort clear off the goal area.
Remo Stars eventually got themselves in front in the 74th minute. An attempted cross from Ibrahim Abubakar was handled in the box by a Zilimadjou defender, and Alex Oyowah sent the goalkeeper the wrong way from the spot for the lead.
That goal was all the NPFL champions needed to see out a second leg win, and a 5-0 aggregate triumph.
Remo Stars will now face South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns in the second and final qualifying round for a place in the money-spinning group stages of the CAF Champions League.
