Rangers Int'l FC survives Bayelsa Utd FC scare

Posted : 14 April 2023

Rangers Int'l FC on Sunday came from behind to record a narrow win over visiting Bayelsa United in the second stanza of 2022/2023 NPFL Abridge season, Group B.

Playing at the team's adopted, Awka City Stadium, coach Abdul Maikaba made only two changes to the starting team that narrowly lost to reigning league champions, Rivers United, mid-week in a rescheduled fixture.

Chidera Ezeh and Chidiebere Nwobodo made the cut ahead of Innocent Gabriel and Hadi Mohammed but it was the visitors that quickly settled into their game plan in the Match Day 10 encounter.

The coach, Dipreye Teibowei-tutored side did not come to Awka to seat back and defend as most clubs do but the home side soaked all the pressure that was thrown at them.

The captain of the side did a yeoman’s job just as Emeka Nwabulu was good between the sticks.

The leading scorer for the Enugu side, Godwin Obaje had chances at the other end after being served some sumptuous passes by lively, Chidiebere Nwobodo, who was in his element in this fixture, but goalkeeper, Osagie Onisodumaye, twice denied the bulky striker on 22 and 33 minutes.

On 34 minutes, a quick interchange of passes that involved the trio of Robert Mizo, Oyowah Alex, and Alex Jerry cut through the home side’s back line as Nwabulu was exposed for Alex Jerry to tap home the opening goal of the fixture to the delight of the Yenagoa based team’s traveling bench.

At the start of the second stanza, coach Abdul Maikaba introduced the duo of Leonard Ugochukwu and Innocent Gabriel for Saidu Adamu and Shedrack Asiegbu which helped in pushing the visitors into their defensive shells and in one of his massy runs at the defense, goal-bound Chidiebere Nwobodo was brought down inside the box and the referee wasted no time in awarding a penalty kick that was expertly dispatched by Godwin Obaje on 48 minutes.

The quartet of Austin Onyemaechi, Chidiebere Nwobodo, Leonard Ugochukwu, and Kenneth Igboke continued to probe for more openings at the opponent’s back which came but could not be utilized as Osagie was at his best to deny Obaje’ connecting header on 51 minutes as well as an Onyemaechi’ well struck freekick that threatened to go in on 67th minute.

Late substitute, Kingsley Maduforo, was upended in the box 87 minutes after he was released by a Leonard Ugochukwu defense-splitting pass and the arbiter wasted no time in making the penalty call that was converted by Chidera Ezeh on 89 minutes to hand the Coal City landlords a good start in the second round.

Chief Coach, Mbwas Mangut, in a post-match chat, said, “It was a difficult match with due respect to the opponents after the first encounter in Yenagoa ended in a draw.

``We created a lot of scoring chances but failed to convert until they got the lead but we came back stronger in the second half and got our deserved result with the penalty calls from the referee as our opponent continued committing fouls in and around the box.

``We shall keep the momentum going into our next match and hope that we get our target as we chase a top-three finish.”

Rangers will next take on Abia Warriors F.C in an ‘Oriental Derby’, mid-week, March 29, 2023, in Umuahia in a Match Day 11 fixture.

Rangers Int'l FC survives Bayelsa Utd FC scare

ADD A COMMENT :

Hot Topics