Warri Wolves head coach Aluma Napoleon has attributed his side’s 4–2 defeat to Rangers International on NPFL Matchday 22 to an early goal that unsettled their tactical setup and exposed defensive lapses.
Speaking after the encounter, Napoleon admitted that conceding early against the Flying Antelopes made execution difficult for his team, giving Rangers a psychological and tactical edge.
“The early goal we conceded unsettled our game plan,” the Warri Wolves coach said. “This is the first time we have conceded goals in this manner, and it gave an advantage to the opponent.”
Rangers struck early in the contest, forcing Warri Wolves into a reactive approach. While the visitors attempted to fight their way back into the game, Napoleon acknowledged that further tactical mistakes during transitions proved costly.
“When we were trying to come back, we made some tactical mistakes again, like the one that led to the first goal,” he explained. “You know every transition move is dangerous, especially against a team like Rangers.”
Napoleon emphasized that although Warri Wolves are built with an attacking philosophy, success at this level requires balance and discipline, particularly without the ball.
“Our game is built on attacking, but there must be defensive tactical discipline,” he noted. “We were off duty today defensively, and that’s why we conceded those goals.”
Despite the disappointment of the result, the Warri Wolves coach was gracious in defeat, acknowledging Rangers’ quality and performance on the day.
“All the same, congratulations to Rangers,” Napoleon concluded.
The defeat leaves Warri Wolves with lessons to reflect on as they look to tighten their defensive structure ahead of their next NPFL fixture, while Rangers continue to build momentum in their push up the table.
