BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

For the third time running, Remo Stars are featuring in continental competition as they begin another cycle by hosting one of the biggest clubs in the continent, Association’s Sports of Forces Armed Royal (AS FAR) which in Morocco go with the nicknames of ‘The Leader, Boss, Militarians and Black Army).

Founded 67 years ago by King Hassan II on September 1958, they are the 1985 CAF Champions and winners of 2005 CAF Confederation Cup.

 Sports Village Square takes an in-depth look at the match and comes out with the following points of interest.

• Both teams met two years ago at the same stage of the second tier CAF competition – the CAF Confederation Cup.

• The Moroccan side is far older than Remo Stars. The military outfit was founded 67 years ago on 1 September 1958. while Remo Stars were founded 20 years ago as FC Dender before changing name in 2010.

• When Adams Olamilekan Alade scored from a flick header in the 49^th minute of the CAF Confederation Cup in Rabat two years ago, he became the first Remo Stars player to score in a competitive international match.

• This Sunday match marks the third time both teams are meeting after their encounters in the 2022 CAF Champions League.

• It is the fourth  international match to be played in Ikenne after the 2022 Remo Stars with AS FAR, the 2023 duel with Medeama Sporting Club of Ghana and the Saturday’s game of El-Kanemi Warriors  and Benin Republic’s Dadjè FC d’Aplahoué.

• With the match, Ogun State is gradually becoming a focal point in continental clubs competiton since the era of Abiola Babes in 1987  Julius Berger hosting  Tunisia’s Étoile Sportive du Sahel in Abeokuta in 2003 in Abeokuta.

• Remo Stars will be on vengeance mission for most big clubs from Nigeria who have been eliminated from continental championship by AS FAR of Morocco. Of the six Nigerian clubs that have had confrontations with AS FAR, only the former Iwuanyanwu Nationale (now Heartland) ever prevailed. That was in the semi-finals of the old-styled Champions League edition of 1988 when the Nigerian side won 5-3 on penalties after a 4-4 aggregate scores.

• Also in the 2009 Champions League, Iwuanyanwu Nationale ousted the Moroccans after winning 3-1 at home and forcing a 1-1 draw in Rabat in the second round of the competition.

• Before then, AS FAR eliminated Stationery Stores at the quarter-finals of the 1968 edition. The game went through three legs

Stores won the first leg 1-0 in Lagos but lost the return match in Rabat 2-1. Away goal rule was not in operation at the time.

A third match was played in Dakar Senegal  by mutual agreement. After the match finished 2–2 when extra time expired, AS FAR  won by drawing of lots.

• The next Nigerian sides to face AS FAR were the Wikki Tourists in the 1999 edition of the now discontinued African Winners’ Cup. At the quarter final stage, Wikki Tourists crashed out 3-0 on aggregate.

• AS FAR again faced Dolphin of Port Harcourt and Enugu Rangers at the 2005 Confederation Cup. The Moroccans ousted Rangers on away goal rule at the play-off stage. The encounters ended 2-2.

• In the final, Dolphins lost 3-1 on aggregate. It is those deplorable records that Remo Stars will be aiming to erase as they confront the Moroccan military outfit.

• Inscribed on the crest of Remo Stars is the figure 33. It symbolizes the number of towns that make up Remo division in Ogun State.