Rangers shift focus to oriental derby Vs Abia Warriors after first defeat in 11 games
Rangers international coach, Fidelis Ilechukwu says the team has shifted focus to its hom game this weekend against Abia Warriors after Katsina United ended their 10-game unbeaten run Sunday at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium, Katsina in a NPFL matchweek 29 fixture.
‘I think it was a great game today for both teams. Scoring three goals in an away game is not an easy one
but conceding four goals is not acceptable in football. I am so sad about that, but we can only move on as today’s game is gone. All we need to do is to
psyche the boys up identify the challenging area and make the corrections going into our next game.’
With 51 points from 29 matches and a healthy goal differential, Rangers remain on top of the twenty-team log for the third week running.
Coach Ilechukwu kept faith with the squad that defeated Sunshine Stars in a mid-week fixture except for the duo of Austin Opara and Kenneth Igboke whose places were taken up by David Chimezie and Philip Clement but the team did not get the start it craved for in the encounter.
The ‘Chanji Boys’ took a shock lead on four minutes after some hesitant defending allowed Falolu Azeez to power home a connecting header past Japhet Opubo but Rangers fought back gamely and was level on nine minutes when Isaac Saviour blasted an unstoppable shot past Pius Ibrahim.
On 16 minutes, Michael Ibe benefited from a goal mouth melee to poke home, and from the restart of the game, Rangers were back on level terms as Godwin Obaje
scored with a fierce shot.
With the first half seemingly coming to an end on a draw, Michael Ibe’s snapshot from the edge of the box nestled in the net on 45 minutes sent the home fans into wild jubilation as both reside retired to the locker rooms from the scorching sun of Katsina.
Whatever coach Ilechukwu may have told his wards at the break was quickly scuttled by the home side as they scored another goal just three minutes into the
second stanza as Patrick Okoko benefited from some slow reactions from the backline of the ‘Flying Antelopes’ in dealing with a Chidera Ezeh’ corner-kick.
Coach Ilechukwu rang some changes as the game went into the last quarter-hour and it was substitute, Joel Odoh, who reacted well to connect home with his
head, a Kazeem Ogunleye corner-kick.
Efforts to find the final punch to tie the game failed to see the light of the day as Ejike Ugochukwu long-range effort missed target by whiskers on added
time of the game.
