NPFL champions Remo Stars made a commanding start to their 2025–26 CAF Champions League campaign, dismantling US Zilimadjou of Comoros 4-0 in the first leg of their preliminary round clash at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja.
The Sky Blue Stars dominated from start to finish, putting themselves firmly in control ahead of the return leg in Comoros.
Early Breakthrough Sets the Tone
Remo seized control right from the opening whistle and were rewarded in the 12th minute. Ibrahim Abubakar’s well-delivered corner caused chaos in the box, with the ball flicked into the path of Leonard Ngenge, who calmly slotted home on his debut to open the scoring.
US Zilimadjou attempted to respond quickly, breaking down the left flank, but their effort from the edge of the box sailed wide. Moments later, Alex Oyowah tested the visitors’ defense with a clever dribble and shot, while Anthony Ebuka came close after latching onto a free kick, but his strike flew over the bar.
Remo continued to pile on the pressure, with Samuel Anakwe creating a golden opportunity for Joseph Abah, whose effort narrowly missed the target.
Ebuka Doubles the Lead Before Half-Time
The hostspersistence paid off in stoppage time of the first half. A cleverly worked free-kick routine saw Abubakar slip a short pass to Chigozie, who burst into the box before setting up defensive partner Anthony Ebuka for a composed finish to make it 2-0.
Second-Half Brilliance and New Signing on Target
The visitors tried to settle in after the restart, holding possession without posing any real threat. Remo Stars head coach Daniel Ogunmodede then introduced Adama Goita and Haruna, changes that transformed the game further.
In the 69th minute, Abubakar combined brilliantly on the right before delivering a pinpoint cross that was expertly headed home by new Malian signing Adama Goita, making it 3-0.
Ten minutes later, the substitutes combined once more for a fourth. Haruna, after a neat exchange, played a slick through ball to Samson Olasupo, who delicately chipped over goalkeeper Youssouf Djawadi to seal a dominant win.
Comfortable Lead Ahead of Second Leg
Remo Stars could have added more late on, but profligacy in front of goal kept the scoreline at 4-0. Regardless, the Nigerian champions take a huge advantage into the second leg in Nigeria still, where they will be overwhelming favorites to progress to the next round of the competition
