The Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan, Nigeria made history in 1976 by winning the African Cup Winners Cup, Nigeria’s first-ever African club trophy. The triumphant team posed proudly with the trophy, surrounded by their captain Ojebode, star player Joseph “Jossy Lad” Ladipo, the Aláàfin of Oyo, Ọba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, and the club’s Executive Director and facilitator, Chief Ọlálékan Salami.
The road to victory was not an easy one. In the first round, IICC (the former name of 3SC) defeated the Kenya Breweries 5-0 on aggregate. They then faced a tough challenge against Rokana United of Zambia in the quarterfinals, ultimately prevailing 4-3.
The semifinal against the Egyptian giants Zamalek proved to be a tough test for the Nigerian team. After a disappointing 2-0 loss in the first leg in Egypt, the 3SC squad played their hearts out at the Liberty Stadium in Ibadan. The match ended 2-2 on aggregate, but the Nigerians triumphed 5-3 in the penalty shootout to advance to the final.
In the final, 3SC faced off against Tonnerre Yaounde of Cameroon. The Nigerian team proved too strong for their Cameroonian counterparts, cruising to a convincing 4-1 victory and claiming the prestigious African Cup Winners Cup trophy.
This historic triumph marked a significant milestone for Nigerian football, as the Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan became the first Nigerian club to win an African club competition, paving the way for future success on the continental stage.
