Rangers Int'l FC seeks return to winning ways in Oriental derby

Posted : 16 April 2024

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After having its ten-match unbeaten run stopped on the last matchday in Katsina, the ‘Flying Antelopes’ will seek to return to their winning ways when they host Abia Warriors F.C in an ‘Oriental Derby’ that will take place inside the main bowl of Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, on Tuesday, April 16, 2024.

In the reverse fixture that took place at Unuahia Township Stadium on November 26, 2023, it took a Collins Nwoburuoke 3rd-minute strike to tilt the pendulum of victory in favor of the Umuahia side, stretching their edge over the ‘Flying Antelopes’ to seven wins, four losses, and three draws in the fourteen encounters between both sides since the 2015 league season.

Heading into the matchday 30 fixture, the home side, Rangers International, proudly sit atop the twenty-team log, having amassed 51 points, while the visitors occupy the 11th spot on the log with 38 points. Rangers' last five matches read: L, W, W, W, D, while Abia Warriors' read: W, L, D, L, D.

Coach Fidelis Ilechukwu, the reigning LBA Manager of the Month for March 2024, stated that he was not too happy with the manner in which his unbeaten run was truncated but was glad that his wards fought well on the pitch before the loss. He hopes to kick-start another round of unbeaten runs as the season approaches the business end.

Coach Ilechukwu stated, “The encounter with Abia Warriors is going to be very tight because no team is a pushover in the NPFL. No team is small. You can’t say you will win when you have not played the game. What we are going to do is continue to do our work and be positive going into the ‘Oriental Derby,’ just as we want to quickly put the loss in Katsina behind us and focus on the game at hand with the mindset for a positive result.”

With the expected return of some of the well-rested players who missed the trip to Katsina, Rangers will be looking to edge coach Bethel Orji's tutored side in the titanic soccer battle expected to kick off at 4:00 pm on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, following the rearrangement of the fixture by the league organizers.

Rangers’ goals machine, Godwin Obaje, who at one time in his career featured for the Umuahia side, will be looking to increase his goal return for this season after hitting eight into the opponent’s nets. He will have a tough battle with Ifeanyi Anaemena, while Enugu-bred Samson Obi will hopefully lead the attack for the visitors, who will have a full complement of their backline that leaked only three goals in the last ten matches before the Katsina loss.

Rangers Int'l FC seeks return to winning ways in Oriental derby

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