By Dorcas Francis Koji
Tunisian giants CS Sfaxien have arrived in Nigeria ahead of their CAF Confederation Cup preliminary-round first-leg encounter against Shooting Stars on Saturday.
The North African outfit departed Tunis on Tuesday and arrived in Nigeria early Wednesday as they intensified preparations for the continental showdown.
Sfaxien will face the Oluyole Warriors at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, with the visitors looking to secure a positive result that would put them in a strong position ahead of the return leg in Tunisia.
Shooting Stars, however, will be determined to make home advantage count as they begin their continental campaign in front of their supporters.
The Oluyole Warriors enter the encounter with confidence after making a winning start to their 2026/27 Nigeria Premier Football League campaign, defeating Inter Lagos 2-1 last Friday.
The victory handed coach Salisu Yusuf an encouraging start to the new league season and provided his players with valuable momentum ahead of their CAF assignment.
Shooting Stars will now hope to carry that winning mentality into their clash with the experienced Tunisian side and secure a first-leg advantage before travelling to Sfax.
CS Sfaxien have also started their domestic campaign on a positive note, defeating Esperance Zarzis 2-1 in their latest Tunisian league fixture.
The meeting in Abeokuta is therefore expected to be a competitive encounter between two sides that have already tasted victory in their respective domestic campaigns.
Shooting Stars will be particularly keen to avoid conceding at home while creating a healthy advantage to take into the second leg.
The return fixture is scheduled for September 13 in Sfax, where the Oluyole Warriors will face the challenge of completing the job on Tunisian soil.
The aggregate winner over the two legs will advance to the next stage of the CAF Confederation Cup.
For Shooting Stars, a commanding home performance could prove crucial as they seek to make a deep run in Africa and restore the club to prominence on the continental stage.
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