EXCLUSIVE: Former Real Madrid player Mutiu Adepoju backs 3SC for CAF qualification following impressive NPFL performance

Nigerian football icon and LaLiga representative, Mutiu Adepoju (54), is confident about the Shooting Stars Sports Club’s (3SC) chances of clinching a spot in one of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) tournaments next season.

The Oluyole Warriors have shown remarkable form in the ongoing Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season, remaining unbeaten in their last three encounters.

Currently, 3SC occupies the fifth position in the standings, gathering 48 points from 32 games. Should Gbenga Ogunbote’s team sustain this momentum, they could very well secure at least a place in next season’s CAF Confederation Cup.

“This season has been commendable for the Shooting Stars, even though they had a stint at second place,” he remarked.

“They held second place for a while during the season until they slipped down after dropping some points, subsequently landing in fourth place.

Despite this, they are performing admirably and still have a viable opportunity to qualify for continental football by season’s end.

“I am hopeful they will continue on this trajectory and conclude the league as strongly as they began.”

Ogunbote’s squad finished fourth in the previous season, narrowly missing out on a CAF Confederation Cup berth, being edged out by Enyimba by just one point.

With a rich history that includes winning the CAF Cup in 1992 and being runners-up in the African Cup of Champions Clubs in 1984 and 1996, the club has not participated in a CAF competition since 1999, when they advanced to the group stages of the African Cup of Champions Clubs (now the CAF Champions League).

Adepoju underscores what the five-time Nigerian league champions have lacked without continental competition: “Well, quite a lot, actually. The club has been deprived of continental football, and so have the fans.

They’ve been yearning for those thrilling nights—seeing teams from other nations coming to Ibadan. Beyond just the games, there’s the glamour, excitement, and prestige associated with competing on the continental stage. That’s something every stakeholder of the club has been eager for.

The General Manager of the club and former Nigeria international, Dimeji Lawal, has expressed optimism in his team’s ability to perform well and secure a continental ticket by the end of the season.

We were close last season, and we cannot afford to let our fans down this time—they expect great things from us. My team is aware of what’s at stake, and we won’t relent until our mission is fulfilled.

3SC are set to continue their pursuit of a continental spot as they head to the Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa for their league fixture on Friday.

After that, they will host league leaders Remo Stars in Ibadan on April 20, before facing Abia Warriors a week later in Umuahia.