RANGERS MAINTAIN TOP SPOT AS PLATEAU FALLS IN ENUGU
The Rangers International Football Club of Enugu maintained its hold on the top spot of the 2023/2024 NPFL with a convincing 2-0 win over visiting Plateau United F.C in a match day 32 fixture inside the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu on Sunday.
The Coal City Antelopes opened scoring through Okorie Chiedozie who got the curtain raiser in the 25th minutes of play after skipping past three markers to slip the ball past Suraj Ayeleso who had been superb in goal.
The Tin City ball stopper from Jos had bravely stopped a second-minute stinging shot from Kenneth Igboke while also doing well to push out Isaac Saviour’ effort on 7 minutes.
The home side was the quicker to settle into their strides as coach Fidelis Ilechukwu opted for a 4-4-2 formation to counter his opponent coach, Mbwas Mangut’s 3-5-2 formation, and with the quartet of Ugochukwu Ejike, Isaac Saviour, Kazeem Ogunleye and Kalu Nweke dictating the pace in the middle of the pack, it was only a matter of time before the backline of the visitors caved in.
On resumption of the second half, the visitors upped their game but met stiff resistance from the backline of Rangers that had two former Plateau United players, Onyebuchi Ifeanyi and Austin Opara on parade.
The home side added another goal at the tail end of the encounter when former league top scorer, Godwin Obaje dusted himself after being wrestled down inside the box as he dribbled his way past his marker in a rear counter-attack, to blast past Suraj Ayeleso on 90 minutes to increase his tally for the season to nine goals.
Coach Ilechukwu Fidelis, in a post-match chat, described the match as a great one for his team saying his side prepared very well for the encounter having struggled in their last two away games.
Also speaking, the club’s top scorer, Godwin Obaje said the team worked extra hard to ensure it got the needed result to remain in the chase for a good finish of the season.
Rangers are on top of the twenty teams NPFL log with 57 points from 32 matches and will next take on Kano Pillars F.C. in a Round of 64 encounter of the President’s Federation Cup 2024 in Abuja on Thursday, May 2, 2024.
