‘No cause for alarm’: Ilechukwu optimistic despite Rangers’ home loss
Technical Adviser of reigning NPFL champions, Rangers International F.C and Super Eagles of Nigeria’ assistant coach, Fidelis Ilechukwu, has sounded it clear that his team would end the season on a positive note despite his team’s 1-2 loss to visiting Niger Tornadoes F.C in a match day 20, NPFL 2024/2025 fixture on Saturday.
In his post-match chat, coach Ilechukwu described the loss as unexpected and disappointing to him and the club’s numerous fans, but he was optimistic that the team will be celebrated at the end of the season.
‘I told my players before the start of the game that it was going to be a very difficult game which it turned out to be. We created a lot of chances but could not utilize them but one, while our opponent got two chances and made use of them.
‘Despite this loss, I call upon our supporters to stand beside this team that is the best team in the league as I assure all that at the end of the season, we shall be congratulated.’
Coach Ilechukwu had a full complement of his team with the return of the trio of Effimi Nsi, Isaac Saviour and Ifeanyi Onyebuchi from the Super Eagles B squad for the start of the second stanza of the league.
The match day squad led in attack by the duo of Godwin Obaje and Frank Uwumiro showed enough dominance in the early stages of the match but missed a lot of goal scoring opportunities before falling behind to an Ismail Sarki’s 17th minute goal against the run of play.
To their credit, the home side were level on 19 minutes when Ifeanyi Onyebuchi nodded home an Isaac Saviour’s fiercely struck shot after a quick corner-kick was taken with Evans Ogbonda involved.
It was a catalogue of misses for the home side before the end of the first half as all that were thrown at the backline of the ‘Ikon Allah’ boys were contained just as Joshua Enaholo showed brilliance between the sticks.
When both teams returned for the second stanza, the tide was still in favor of the ‘Flying Antelopes’ but putting the ball in the back of the net was an issue on the day with Frank Uwumiro missing a sitter on 47 minutes while substitute, Kingsley Maduforo blazed his effort wide with only the goalkeeper at his mercy at the hour mark.
Isaac Saviour’s goal-bound stinging shot was pushed out by Enaholo on 62 minutes and on 65 minutes, Rangers’ defense was breached a second time as Ifeanyi Okechukwu let fly a shot from the edge of the box that goalkeeper, Kingdom Osayi had no answer to.
With few minutes to the end of the encounter, Effimi Nsi was tripped inside the box as he was through on goal and the referee wasted no time in making the call but substitute, Okorie Chiedozie failed to score from the spot as his kick greased the cross bar and went out of target.
Rangers will next travel to Maiduguri, Borno state to trade tackles with El-Kanemi Warriors in a match day 21 fixture on Wednesday, January 29, 2025.
