Shooting Stars technical adviser Salisu Yusuf has warned his players to expect a difficult battle against CS Sfaxien in the second leg of their CAF Confederation Cup first preliminary round tie.
The Oluyole Warriors secured a narrow 1-0 victory over the Tunisian giants in the first leg at the Moshood Abiola Sports Complex, Abeokuta, on Saturday.
Lucky Emmanuel scored the decisive goal in the 26th minute to hand the Ibadan club a slender advantage ahead of the return fixture.
Yusuf Pleased With Hard-Fought Victory
Reflecting on his side’s performance, Yusuf praised his players for their discipline and organisation, while admitting they could have won by a wider margin.
“CS Sfaxien are a tactical side. They tried to survive with long balls, but they could not break our defence. We took advantage of our opportunity, scored the only goal and were able to defend it,” Yusuf told the media after the game.
“We could have scored two or three goals, but we missed a lot of chances.
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“In the first half, we played a very coordinated game. Tactically, we were better and more organised in the first half than in the second.”
3SC Ready For Sfaxien Battle
Yusuf also acknowledged Sfaxien’s fighting spirit and expects an even tougher contest when both sides meet again in Tunisia.
“They fought here, and we are going there to fight as well. We are not going to play the same way we played here,” he added.
“The Tunisians put us under a lot of pressure. If we cannot score in Tunisia, then we have to make sure we protect our goal.
“It is going to be a real battle in Tunisia.”
Shooting Stars will take their 1-0 advantage to Sfax for the decisive second leg on Sunday, September 13, with a place in the next preliminary round at stake.
By Adeboye Amosu
