By Oriakhi Loveth
Sundowns Crush Remo Stars 7–1 on Aggregate to Reach CAF Group Stage
Mamelodi Sundowns sealed their place in the CAF Champions League group stage with a dominant 7–1 aggregate victory over Remo Stars, completing the job with a 2–0 win in Sunday’s return leg at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.
The South African champions entered the second leg with a comfortable four-goal cushion after their 5–1 triumph in the first encounter held in Abeokuta, Nigeria.
Goals from Tashreeq Matthews, Peter Shalulile, Miguel Reisinho, Arthur Sales, and Tsiki Ntsabeleng had put the tie firmly in their control.
On home soil, Sundowns maintained their attacking rhythm and broke the deadlock in the 21st minute.
Aubrey Modiba’s high pressing forced a turnover on the left flank, allowing him to set up Nuno Santos, who calmly slotted the ball past the Remo Stars goalkeeper.
The hosts doubled their advantage just before halftime.
From a Modiba corner, Shalulile reacted fastest inside the box, guiding the ball beyond the Nigerian defence to make it 2–0 at the break.
Remo Stars struggled to contain Sundowns’ fluid movement but managed a few chances after the restart. Samson Olasupo came close in the 51st minute, hitting the side netting after a solo run into the box.
He later sent another attempt narrowly wide midway through the half.
Despite the visitors’ efforts, the South African side continued to dominate possession and create chances, with goalkeeper Obassa Adebiyi pulling off several key saves to prevent a heavier defeat.
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At the other end, Denis Onyango enjoyed a relatively quiet evening as Sundowns comfortably preserved their clean sheet.
The result confirmed a commanding 7–1 aggregate win for Mamelodi Sundowns, who advanced to the group stage for the 11th consecutive season underscoring their status as one of Africa’s most consistent clubs.
For Remo Stars, the defeat marked another disappointing end to their continental campaign, extending their wait for a breakthrough in CAF competitions.
Their exit leaves Rivers United as Nigeria’s sole representative after overcoming Mozambique’s Black Bulls 3–2 on aggregate.
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