Ilechukwu: Rangers confident of beating Niger Tornadoes

The ‘Flying Antelopes’, Rangers International F.C, under the technical guidance of coach Fidelis Ilechukwu are in Awka for the match day 3, NPFL 2023/2024 fixture against visiting Niger Tornadoes with their eyes fixed squarely on annexing the maximum points at stake and enhance their position on the twenty teams log.

With one win and a loss in its first two league fixtures of the season, coach Ilechukwu will be leashing his very potent attacking and midfield generals on the coach Abdulazeez Hamza Abara tutored side that has also had a win and a loss in the two weeks old league.

Coach Ilechukwu and his wards have put behind them the loss to Remo Stars in a week 2 encounter at Ikenne, Ogun State, and fully focused on doing the needful against the ‘Ikon Allah Boys’ from Minna with the likes of Kalu Nweke, Godwin Obaje, and Ifeanyi Ogba leading the lines with the dominant presence of skipper of the side, Nwaodu Chukwudi and other lieutenants while expecting great cover at the back from defense marshal, David Chimezie.

Coach Ilechukwu while speaking ahead of the clash said, ‘Niger Tornadoes are always a difficult side to play, especially with the presence of my former colleague, Coach Abara at the squad. But like we do hear in Rangers, we take each match as they come and we have our strategy for every team.

‘With the work put in by my players and coaches after our last match, I am very positive about the outcome of the weekend’s encounter in Awka. Let our fans come out in their numbers to cheer us to a good win on Sunday.’

Coach Abara will be banking on the force of former Rangers attacker, Musa Najere to earn anything from this fixture with Ifeanyi Okoye, Alex Emeka, Silvester Bell, Bashir Usman anchoring the middle of the pack with Bolaji Adeyemo, Samuel Tswanya Abiodun Adebayo providing cover for shot-stopper, Joshua Enaholo.

Going down memory lane, both sides have had eight encounters since June 18, 2017, where it ended goalless in Minna, and early this year, on April 16, 2023, where the score at full time stood at 2-2 in Awka.

The other six fixtures saw two wins for either side and two drawn games with Rangers’ 4-0 demolition of the Tornadoes on January 2, 2022, the biggest win recorded by either side.

Going into this fixture, the seven-time Nigeria league champions, Rangers occupy the 7th spot while Niger Tornadoes are placed on the 15th spot on the twenty-team log. Both sides have three points apiece secured from a win in two matches but the host has scored more goals.