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Star Sport Academy were held to a 0-0 draw against Medina United of The Gambia at the Southern Arena in Bo.
However, the draw does not tell the full story of what unfolded at Southern Arena Stadium on Saturday evening.
For the debutants from Sierra Leone, the result against the Gambian champions Medina United was merely the final chapter of a continental campaign that began long before kickoff — one defined by opportunism, rapid recruitment and a $5,000 lifeline from the national football association.
Star Sport Academy, founded in January 2022, finished second in the 2025/26 Sierra Leone Premier League with 61 points from 34 matches, three behind champions Bo Rangers. But when Bo Rangers withdrew from the CAF Champions League over financial constraints, the Freetown-based side inherited the nation’s sole berth.
What followed was a scramble to turn a second-place finish into a competitive continental debut.
The club appointed Slovak coach Jozef Vukušič as Technical Adviser in mid-August. The 61-year-old holds a UEFA Pro Licence, graduated from the University of Cologne and has managed South African Premiership side AmaZulu, plus FC Košice and Al Ahly Benghazi. He joined on a short-term contract specifically for the Champions League tie.
Star Sport also signed Ivorian forward Ibrahim Koné, a 21-year-old, 1.92m striker with experience at Africa Sport d’Abidjan and JAC Zouénoula, where he scored 10 goals in 12 matches. The club also hired sports psychologist Yousuf Sillah and added other reinforcements.
On Aug. 8, the Sierra Leone Football Association contributed $5,000 toward the campaign — one of three such grants totaling $15,000 for the country’s CAF representatives.
On the pitch, however, neither side could break the deadlock. Medina United, crowned Gambian champions in their maiden top-flight season, defended resolutely. The goalless draw keeps the tie finely balanced ahead of the second leg on Sept. 12 in Banjul.
The winner over two legs will face Moroccan giants RS Berkane in the second preliminary round. Berkane, finalists in the 2025/26 CAF Champions League, received a bye from the first round alongside Mamelodi Sundowns and Espérance de Tunis.
For a club that secured Premier League promotion only in 2024, the result represents a creditable start. The real test of both squad depth and strategic ambition awaits in The Gambia.
