Shooting Stars head coach Salisu Yusuf has warned his players to expect an even tougher battle in Tunisia after the Oluyole Warriors secured a narrow 1-0 victory over CS Sfaxien in the first leg of their CAF Confederation Cup tie, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
The Nigerian side produced a disciplined defensive display to protect their slender advantage, with Yusuf praising his players for frustrating the Tunisian giants while admitting that the hosts had enough opportunities to win by a more convincing 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 said.
The coach was, however, disappointed by the number of chances Shooting Stars failed to convert, insisting that the game could have been put beyond CS Sfaxien before the final whistle.
“We would have scored two or three goals in this game, but we lost many chances,” he added.
Yusuf expects CS Sfaxien to approach the second leg with greater intensity but believes his team will also be ready for the challenge when they travel to Tunisia.
“They fought here, and we are going to fight them too. We are not going to play the same way we played here,” he said.
The Shooting Stars boss also pointed to a noticeable difference between his team’s performance in the first and second halves, with the hosts producing their most organised display before the break.
“In the first half, 3SC played a very coordinated game. Tactically, we were more technical in the first half than in the second half,” Yusuf explained.
CS Sfaxien increased the pressure after the interval, forcing Shooting Stars into a more defensive posture. Yusuf acknowledged the pressure but stressed that protecting their advantage would be crucial in the return fixture, particularly if his team fails to score.
“The Tunisians pushed us too much. If we can't score goals in Tunisia, we need to protect our goal line,” Yusuf said.
With only one goal separating the two sides, Yusuf knows the return leg could be a completely different proposition.
“It’s going to be a real game in Tunisia,” he warned.
Shooting Stars captain Ismail Ghali Falke also backed the team to show the necessary fighting spirit when they travel to Tunisia.
“By God’s grace, we will go to Tunisia and fight,” the captain said.