2024/2025 NPFL Match Day 5: Maximum points against Abia Warriors well deserved, says Rangers Coach, Ilechukwu

Posted : 07 October 2024

The Technical Adviser of Rangers International FC, Fidelis Ilechukwu, has described his side's lone-goal victory over the hard-fighting Abia Warriors as a well-deserved one.

The Flying Antelopes secured the winning goal of the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Match Day 5 victory courtesy of Kazeem Ogunleye’s thunderbolt of a free kick from over twenty-five yards in the 59th minute. The first Oriental Derby between both sides was played on Sunday at ‘The Cathedral,’ Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.

Coach Fidelis Ilechukwu handed starts to the squad that defeated Bayelsa United on Thursday, with the exception of the trio of Lucky Abdullahi, Bashir Usman, and Nenrot Silas, whose places were taken by Japhet Opubo, Okafor Onyekachi, and Isaac Saviour in a 4-4-2 formation that saw Chiedozie Okorie and Okafor Onyekachi leading the attack.

Twice in the first period, the visitors had the upright to thank. In the 9th minute, Chiedozie Okorie agonizingly saw his effort crash onto the crossbar after a mix-up at the visitors’ back, while Onyekachi Okafor watched in awe as his scrambled effort from an inch-perfect cross by Evans Ogbonda came off the upright in the 24th minute, much to the relief of the traveling fans.

At the start of the second period, Coach Fidelis Ilechukwu substituted Chinemerem Ugwueze for new kid-on-the-block Silas Nenrot and switched to a 4-3-3 formation, which, to a large extent, pushed the visitors back into their defensive shells.

Six minutes into the second stanza, the home fans and bench erupted into celebration after Chiedozie Okorie connected with a diving header from an Evans Ogbonda cross, following some neat interchanges of passes that saw Nenrot release the left-back. However, the celebrations were cut short as the effort was ruled offside.

Eight minutes later, there was no stopping the fans from going into wild jubilation as Kazeem Ogunleye exquisitely fired an unstoppable free kick past the hands of Ali Ishaku from over 25 yards after goal-bound Effimi Nsi was fouled.

Efforts by the home side to score more goals or for the visitors to equalize failed to yield results, as the goalkeepers on each end showcased their quality to ensure the match ended with no additional goals.

In a post-match chat, Coach Fidelis Ilechukwu stated, “It was a big game, and our performance today shows that our team is starting to come together.

"I know that Abia Warriors prepared very well for this game, and I am happy we won.

"Coach Imama Amapakabo is a top coach with a good mentality, which we saw today in his team’s play, but we had our game plan, and it worked very well, even though we could have scored a couple more goals.

"We need to build on this win going forward.”

With this win, Rangers now have ten points from five matches and will next play Sunshine Stars in a Match Day 6 fixture at the Dipo Dina International Stadium in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.

2024/2025 NPFL Match Day 5: Maximum points against Abia Warriors well deserved, says Rangers Coach, Ilechukwu

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