CAF Champions League second leg- Medeama qualify to second preliminary round after beating Remo Stars 3-2 on penalties
Medeama SC progress to the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League after stunning Remo Stars 3-2 on penalties in second leg of a first preliminary clash at the Remo Star Stadium.
The game entered into penalties after Remo Stars beating Medeama 1-0 in 90′ minutes to tally the game 1-1 on aggregate in Ogun State, Nigeria.
The Ghana Premier League champions beat the Nigerian side 1-0 in the first leg at the Cape Coast Stadium last Sunday. In a nearly balanced game in Ghana’s coast city, Jonathan Sowah first half strike for Medeama made the significant difference.
The Nigerians taste African football in this season’s CAF Champions League while Medeama enter into Africa for a second time but their first in the CAF Champions League.
Remo Stars are emerging force in Nigerian football having finished second on the Nigerian Premier League table behind Enyimba FC last season.
The home side had campaigned in their homeland for qualification to the second round which may require a solid performance but it seems they were on the same level with the visitors.
The first half ended goalless draw with no clear cut chance for either sides.
Remo Stars began the second half quite stronger than Medeama in a purely sit-deep approach by the visitors. Medeama opted to play an open game within the interval but the counter effects were clear allowing Remo Stars come close in breaking the deadlock on the 61′ minute after a movement opened up Medeama’s defence but their attacker struck outside the net.
Remo Stars had found a brief breathing space behind Medeama’s box coming close again with a header from their attacker missing the target by some inches. They continued to threaten for the first goal but a final delivery from an exchange went into the hands of Medeama goalkeeper.
Medeama boss Evans Adotey might have read the direction of the game learning his side could go down if they continue to rely on the sit-deep approach pushing upfield in return.
While this was a good decision from the football perspective, Adotey and his side needed to reflect the impact of this approach when they decided to open up, in earlier moments, offering Remo Stars that breathing space.
Like its previous effects, Remo Stars capitalized on the breathing space, this time, taking the lead midway.
Despite Remo Stars’ lead in this Medema’s approach, Evans Adotey’s men never withdrew and began enjoying the outcomes as both teams embrace their chances but it was up to a matter of who convert it chances.
Jonathan Sowah had struck the woodwork in one of Medeama’s attacks and went close again but Remo Stars goalkeeper was quick to catch the ball in a fight for the ball scenario.
An end to end action it was in the final 10′ minutes but Medeama were, in terms of possession, a bit ahead of the Nigerians. Remo Stars were relaxed and somehow dangerous behind the box something Medeama were lacking outlining as the only difference in the ding dong affair in stoppage time of the clash.
Remo Stars relaxation also counted scoring the second goal but the effort was ruled offside. This shows Remo Stars were doing the needful, and there was a popular opinion that, as do whether Remo Stars boss Daniel Ogunmodede read the game better than Medeama’s Evans Adotey at that point of the time.
Adotey was saved in penalties with Remo Stars scoring 2 of their 5 kicks as Medeama converted 3 of their kicks in slim victory for the Ghanaian champions.
