The MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta was left stunned into silence after reigning Nigeria Premier Football League champions, Remo Stars, were handed a crushing 1–5 home defeat by South African giants, Mamelodi Sundowns, in the first leg of the CAF Champions League second preliminary round.
Backed by a passionate home crowd, the Sky Blue Stars started the match on the front foot, pressing high and applying early pressure. Their aggressive start nearly paid off, with Adama Goita seeing a deflected shot go just wide, while Victor Mbaoma almost capitalized on a loose back pass moments later.
However, those early opportunities were quickly overshadowed by the clinical efficiency of the visitors. Goals from Tashreeq Matthews and Peter Shalulile gave Sundowns a 2–0 advantage heading into halftime, underlining their experience on the continental stage.
The second half resumed with even more dominance from the South African champions. Miguel Reisinho extended the lead with a third goal in the 60th minute, capitalizing on a defensive lapse. Then came two more strikes from substitutes Arthur De Oliveira (74’) and Katlego Ntsabeleng (84’), as the Sundowns showcased their strength in depth.
Remo Stars managed to salvage a moment of pride in the 76th minute when Samson Olasupo rifled home a long-range effort, giving the home fans a consolation to cheer for.
The result marked a historic low for Nigerian club football, as it became:
The heaviest home defeat ever recorded by a Nigerian side in CAF competition history.
The first time a Nigerian club has conceded five goals at home in a continental fixture.
For Daniel Ogunmodede’s men, the loss was a harsh reminder of the gulf in class, experience, and squad depth between debutants and seasoned campaigners like the Sundowns, who are former CAF Champions League winners and regulars in the knockout stages.
Remo Stars, participating in their maiden CAF Champions League campaign, had high hopes of progressing to the group stage for the first time in club history. Now, they face a monumental challenge — needing to overturn a four-goal deficit in the second leg, which is scheduled to take place in Pretoria, South Africa on October 26.
