2023/2024 NPFL Match Day 34: Ilechukwu in emotional return to Lagos to face Sporting Lagos

Posted : 02 June 2024

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Nigeria Premier Football League table-topping side and seven-time Nigeria league champions, Rangers International F.C., flew into Lagos via a commercial airline for the Match Day 34 NPFL 2023/2024 fixture against Sporting Lagos F.C., full of optimism to display their potential of ending the season on a high.

The Mobolaji Johnson Arena (Onikan Stadium, Lagos) will be the venue for the encounter, which will see the coach Abdullahi Biffo-led side fight the fight of their lives to contain a side in the form of Rangers International F.C., with kickoff fixed for 4:00 pm.

Though coach Fidelis Ilechukwu's tutored side is aware that their host, Sporting Lagos, under a new gaffer, Biffo, will be a difficult team to contend with, his team is motivated to come up with a positive result to ensure that the chasing pack is given more hurdles to overcome.

With 19 points separating both sides and 12 teams sitting between them on the 20-team log, Coach Ilechukwu, whose wards went on a scoring spree in their last league encounter against Bayelsa United where they harvested three goals to maintain their top spot as the best-attacking team, will be counting on the likes of Okorie Chiedozie, Kazeem Ogunleye, Godwin Obaje, Isaac Saviour, and Ejike Ugochukwu to get the needed result against the Lagos side that will be counting on Christian Nwoke to keep out the forays of the ‘Flying Antelopes’.

Coach Ilechukwu, who cut his coaching teeth in Lagos with many grassroots teams as well as M.F.M F.C., which he led from the lower league to the top league and won a spot to represent the country at the continental scene, is positive going into this fixture.

“We expect a good game from Sporting Lagos, but we are very positive about the outcome.

"We are not by any means underrating our opponent as no team in the top league is a pushover. We respect Sporting, especially under their new coach, Biffo, whom I respect very much, but we shall approach the match as a cup final, believing that our efforts on the pitch will give us the positive result we expect at the end of the encounter.”

In the reverse fixture at the Awka City Stadium on December 17, 2023, it ended 2-0 for the ‘Flying Antelopes’ with goals from Austin Onyemaechi and Agu Kenechukwu in the 9th and 89th minutes (penalty), with Junior Lokosa, Jonathan Alukwu, Vincent Akpikpi, Godwin Udoh, and Chinedu Ufere distinguishing themselves for the Lagos side.

Rangers’ leading goal scorer, Godwin Obaje, who grabbed a brace in his last match, is full of optimism going into the fixture.

"I thank God for all He has been doing for our team this season, and I believe that we have all it takes to get a good result against Sporting Lagos. It will be a tough encounter as no team is small in the premiership, but the unity in the team will see us through this fixture.”

The Lagos side has also been in fine form at their home ground, scoring as many as four goals against Abia Warriors in their last home game, which ended 4-2 against the Umuahia side. However, in Port Harcourt over the weekend, Sporting Lagos was beaten 4-1 by Rivers United.

2023/2024 NPFL Match Day 34: Ilechukwu in emotional return to Lagos to face Sporting Lagos

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