Remo Stars head coach, Thiago Conde, has expressed optimism that his team can still turn around their CAF Champions League tie despite suffering a 5–1 home defeat to South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns in Abeokuta.
Conde admitted that his players failed to follow the tactical plan and committed costly defensive errors but said the team would learn from their mistakes and approach the return leg in Pretoria with renewed focus.
He acknowledged the gulf in experience and resources between both sides but praised his players’ fighting spirit, adding that the four-goal deficit, though difficult, was not insurmountable.
The Portuguese coach maintained that correcting both individual and collective lapses could lead to a different outcome in the second leg scheduled for October 26 in Pretoria.