Ikorodu City FC loses first home match to defending champions, Rangers International FC

Posted : 25 September 2024

League debutant Ikorodu City FC lost its first league home game on Wednesday against the defending champions, Rangers International FC of Enugu.

The Oga Boys were beaten by a lone goal from the Flying Antelopes captain, Chinemerem Ugwueze, who scored via a scramble in the 25th minute.

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Fidelis Ilechukwu, the Technical Adviser of Rangers International FC, has maintained his unbeaten record in Lagos, guiding the Coal City Boys to victory in the rescheduled Match Day 2 fixtures of the 2024/2025 NPFL, played at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Onikan, Lagos.

Ilechukwu, now with the Flying Antelopes, previously coached the former NPFL side and Lagos-based MFM FC from 2013 to 2017 before the team was relegated to a lower league.

Since leaving the Lagos side and having coached three clubs thereafter—Heartland FC, Plateau United FC, and now Rangers International FC—46-year-old Ilechukwu has yet to lose in Lagos.

In a chat on the sidelines of the match, Ilechukwu said he considers Lagos his home.

“Lagos is home to me,” he said.

However, in the rescheduled Match Day 2, played in front of cheering Lagos fans, the Oga Boys wasted a flurry of chances that could have seen them win the game as they dominated with attacking threats.

The Oga Boys had a moment to equalize in the 42nd minute when Chibuike Ohaegbulam's header almost beat the goalkeeper, but Rangers defenders cleared it off the line.

The introduction of Moses Shodeinde and Solomon Emmanuel, who both replaced Harrison Uzondu and Ezekiel Samuel in the 76th minute, created more attacking fluidity for the hosts, but the visitors held their ground.

The Coach of Ikorodu City FC, Bright Ozebagbe, on the sidelines of the match, rued his side's lost chances.

“The loss means a lot to the team, but the league is a marathon. Our first home result didn’t reflect our performance.

“We'll go back to the drawing board and try to work on areas where we need to improve.

“We had moments where we should have converted our chances. I think there were many instances where we made the wrong final decision.

“We are an attacking team, so we created a lot of chances. This is worrisome for us, especially at home. We need to take our chances. Maybe by the next game, we will get better,” he said.

Ozebagbe added, “There were also moments when we needed to be calm, which we did not execute well. The boys need to focus more and work on their final touch.

“Rangers are the league champions, so we didn’t make it easy for them. They had only one clear-cut chance and took advantage of it.

“The tactical formation is not faulty; I am worried about why we did not take our chances because our ambition is to stay in the league,” he said.

Ilechukwu further commended his team’s performance, stating that it was a fantastic display.

“We are going to build on this win in our subsequent matches because it is a morale booster for the team,” he said.

Ikorodu City FC loses first home match to defending champions, Rangers International FC

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