Total/CAF Confederation cup hopefuls and seven time Nigerian league champions, Rangers International F.C, Wednesday, inside the main bowl of Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium, Enugu, earned a well deserved 1-0 win over visiting Niger Tornadoes in a re-scheduled match day 1 fixture of the ongoing 2018/2019 NPFL season.
Bright Silas was the hero of the day as he connected beautifully with a pin-point Godwin Aguda’ cross on 34 minutes to send the spectators into wild jubilation.
The Bernard Ogbe tutored side from Minna took an early initiative after kickoff pushing forward for openings and could have shot into the lead on five minutes but Nana Bonsu was alive to his duties to push Jumbo Wisdom’ effort out for a corner kick.
Rangers quartet of Ifeanyi George, Roland Koffi, Michael Uchebo and Godwin Aguda gradually turned the heat on the Iorliam Gwarza’ led defense of the visitors with little success to have a sniff at goal.
With as much as five changes to the team that dispatched Enyimba at the weekend, coach Ogunbote handed starts to Adun Osamudiamwen and Roland Koffi.
As the first half progressed the visitors grew in confidence and ventured forward but a quick penetrating pass from the midfield released Koffi who stroked a defense splitting pass that was met by Aguda who delivered an inch perfect cross that was met with the head by Bright Silas who had lost his marker in the area to score his fifth goal in all competition this season.
Efforts to witness more goals in the match failed to materialize as some splendid goalkeeping from Mustapha Aliko for the visitors and Nana Bonsu ensured that with Aliko’s point-blank save to deny Bright Silas a second goal on 79 minutes the most prominent while Seka Pascal still can’t believe why he could not score a few minutes earlier when he was fed by Chiamaka Madu.
Coach Bernard Ogbe of Niger Tornadoes said after the encounter, “It was a good match and my players did well against a continental team, Rangers. It was a tight match that could have gone anyway and our opponent to the chance that came their way to score. I am optimistic going forward regarding the ultimatum given by the owners of the club if we continue to have good officiating like we did today.”
Coach Ogunbote of Rangers said, “It was a good game that would have been better if we had been more clinical at goal. We missed some glaring opportunities that would have killed the fighting spirit of the opponent. We thank God for the three points gathered and hope to push on for better results in coming games. Yes, we had to rest some players taking cognizance of the fact that they needed to rest because we still have many crucial games coming.”
Rangers have six points and are second on the Group A log behind Rivers United who have eight points after four matches while Rangers have played three.
The ‘Flying Antelopes’ next plays Salitas F.C of Burkina-Faso in the first match of the group stage of Total/CAF Confederation cup fixed for Sunday, February 3, 2019 with kickoff fixed for 2:00pm inside Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium, Enugu.
