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Tag Rangers International2019/2020 NPFL

  • Mar, Sun, 2020
Sport

Rangers spank Adamawa United 2-0

League

By Nicholas Obisike

Enugu, March 1, 2020 (NAN) Rangers International Football Club of Enugu on Sunday humbled visiting Adamawa United of Yola 2-0 in a 2019/2020 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Match Day 22 fixture.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Isaac Loute and Israel Abia scored for the home team after several missed chances.

Loute gave Rangers the lead from a free-kick at the edge of the penalty box in the 44th minute.

Abia made it 2-0 for the home team from the penalty kick spot in the 62nd minute, after the defender Mohammed Jiya had hacked down Chinonso Eziekwe.

Speaking after the match, Rangers’ assistant coach Mangut Mbwas said their players performed well especially in the second stanza.

“We are going to work more on our scoring, especially as we missed lots of scoring chances during the match.

“Victory was expected of us and we thank God we were able to deliver after missing several chances.

“The players did well after the interval by closing the visitors down to ensure the win,” Mbwas said.

On his part, Adamawa United’s Ibrahim Bariki said he was not in any way disappointed with the result.

“This is the best of us in all the away matches we have been playing and we will keep improving.

“Rangers are a good team but they overshadowed us with their experience, as my players made some costly mistakes which led to the goals,” Bariki said.(NAN)

NUO/ECN/OLAL
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(Edited by Emmanuel Nwoye and Olawale Alabi)

  • Feb, Wed, 2020
Sport

NPFL: Nasarawa United climb out of relegation zone after beating Rangers

Match
By Olukayode Babalola
Lafia, Feb. 26, 2020 (NAN) Hosts Nasarawa United Football Club of Lafia on Wednesday beat Rangers International FC of Enugu 2-1 to ease their relegation worries in the 2019/2020 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that victory in the rescheduled Match Day 14 fixture played at the Lafia Township Stadium did not come easy for the home team.

Israel Abia put the home side in a bad situation after he scored with an excellent free kick at the edge of the Nasarawa United penalty box in the 4th minute.

The home side quickly regrouped to pile pressure on the away team and in the 6th minute were awarded a penalty kick for a foul on Chinedu Ohanachom.

Abubakar Lawal stepped up to convert the penalty kick to make it 1-1.

In the second half, Nasarawa United mounted series of attack to maintain pressure and continued to slice the Rangers team apart with creative passes and unique team work.

They went on to achieve the breakthrough they were looking for in the 52nd minute, through Abdullahi Abubakar who handled the ball after the Rangers goalkeeper parried it towards him.

NAN reports that all efforts to increase the lead proved abortive as the Rangers defensive structure remained resolute till the final whistle was blown.

Isaac Danladi, Chairman of Nasarawa United, expressed joy over the victory and the fact that the team had finally pulled out of the relegation zone.

But he added that more work still needed to be done to ensure the team does not fall back into the current season’s relegation zone again.

“There is still a lot of work to be done. Yes, we are temporarily out of the relegation zone, but by the special grace of God and in some few weeks time, we will be completely out of it,” Danladi said.

NAN reports that Nasarawa United are currently in the 13th position on the NPFL log and travel to Bauchi to face Wikki Tourists in their next fixture.(NAN)
OB/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

  • Feb, Wed, 2020
Sport

NPFL: Rangers beat Kano Pillars in Enugu

League
By Nicholas Obisike
Enugu, Feb. 19, 2020 (NAN) Rangers International Football Club of Enugu on Wednesday defeated Kano Pillars FC 1-0 in a rescheduled Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Match Day 11 fixture in Enugu.

Chinonso Eziekwe scored the only goal of the match in the 70th minute to send the home fans into wild jubilation.

Speaking after the match, Rangers’ Assistant Coach, Mbwas Mangut, expressed joy over the outcome of the match.

He said that the match was tough but they were grateful to God that they won.

“We prepared well for this match, because it is one of the matches that we should be winning.

“No doubt, the match could have gone either way as lots of chances were missed by the two teams, but we were lucky to have converted one.

“But we should have sealed the win before the interval,” Mangut said.

Kano Pillars FC’s coach Ibrahim Musa, on his part, said his team played better than their hosts, and blamed his players for missing lots of scoring opportunities.

“Our target was to win this match and we created up to six to seven scoring chances, but we did not convert them.

“Football is all about scoring, but we could not score and our opponents scored. So, we need to work hard next time if we want to score.

“Now we have to go back to the drawing board and work on our finishing because we have to combine communication with finishing.

“Rangers are a good team, but you cannot compare Rangers with Kano Pillars here because this is Rangers’ home,” Musa said.

He said his team created scoring chances more than their hosts and were supposed to win the match, only to be let down by finishing.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the win lifted Rangers to 16th from 17th on the log, with 23 points after 17 matches.

Kano Pillars however dropped to the 9th position with 27 points after 19 matches.(NAN)
NUO/IKU/OLAL
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(Edited by Tayo Ikujuni and Olawale Alabi)

 

  • Feb, Mon, 2020
Sport

Rangers International protest Match Day 20 fixture officiating

Officiating
By Nicholas Obisike
Enugu, Feb. 17, 2020 (NAN) Rangers International Football Club of Enugu on Monday said they have launched an appeal to the League Management Company (LMC) over referee Jacob Gwatsa.

The 2015/2016 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) champions said the appeal was over Gwatsa’s handling of their 2019/2020 NPFL Match Day 20 fixture in Enugu.

“Rangers International FC have made an official appeal to the LMC against referee Jacob Gwatsa of the FCT over his controversial handling of Sunday’s fixture against Akwa United in Enugu,” Norbert Okolie, the club’s spokesman said in a statement.

The club alleged that the referee twice ignored calls for clear penalty kicks against the visiting side which ran away with a 2-1 win.

Okolie said Rangers were also surprised at the choice of Gwatsa for their match.

“It is this same referee who had his red card decision barely a year ago against our Pascal Seka rescinded.

“This was in a rescheduled Match Day 8 fixture against Bendel Insurance FC.’’

The club spokesman said the letter was signed by their Team Manager, Amobi Ezeaku, on behalf of the club’s General Manager.

“Let it be stated that Gwatsa issued a red card in the Match Day 8 match number 045A rescheduled between Bendel Insurance FC and Rangers International FC, and the LMC had to reverse the red card decision.

“Aside the numerous questionable calls made by Gwatsa in Sunday’s fixture, the height of it was the penalty kick appeals which he waved off to the chagrin of even his co-officials in the game.

“On two occasions, the opposing defenders handled the ball in the penalty area and a striker, Seka Pascal, was hacked down inside the box and the referee allowed play to go on,” Rangers claimed in the letter.

It added that it was left wondering if it was a coincidence that the same referee whose decision was reversed by the LMC barely a year ago could be found culpable again.

“Was it just human error or a clear case of targeted aggression at the club due to past meetings?

“Rangers FC are appealing to LMC for justice not only to be done but must be seen to have been done by the league organising body so as to maintain the high standard already attained,” it added.(NAN)
NUO/JPE/OLAL
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(Edited by Joseph Edeh and Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Yusuf assures Rangers’ fans of win over Jigawa Golden Stars Wednesday

Rangers
By Nicholas Obisike
Enugu, Feb. 11, 2020 (NAN) Salisu Yusuf, the Technical Adviser of Rangers International Football Club, on Tuesday assured the club’s numerous fans of a win in their rescheduled Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) fixture on Wednesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Rangers will face Jigawa Golden Stars FC of Dutse in a rescheduled Match Day 7 fixture at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu.

Yusuf told newsmen after the club’s morning training in Enugu that the team would always fight to win their matches, be it home or away.

“Our team has done well in our two away matches in the NPFL and I believe that such form will continue.

“We thank God for the two recent away matches and we have to continue from where we stopped at home by winning convincingly.

“In every match you have to work extra hard because you are expected to win all the time.

“Gradually, we are becoming the team to beat. So, any opponent coming to play us will put up enough fight to survive.

“We know that it is not going to be easy against Jigawa Golden Stars FC, but we hope to smile home after the match,’’ he said.

Yusuf however pointed out that every team was beatable and Jigawa Stars were not exceptional as every team stands a chance of winning away.

“We cannot underrate the visitors from Dutse as we have made winning our watchword.

“I believe any team that will beat us must work extra hard because we are not thinking of losing away, not to talk of home.

“Realising that we are beatable, I have always told my players to put in 100 per cent effort in every match,’’ the former Super Eagles assistant coach said.

Yusuf expressed happiness that his team was now doing well, saying it was an evidence that the club’s management and technical crew have not been having sleepless nights for nothing.

“Rangers are now doing well and that was what the management and the technical crew have been working for.

“I believe that with God on our side, this will continue with or without injuries as we have capable players in all the departments.

“Our newly-acquired players have helped to bring stability and confidence into the team and there is intense competition in the team at the moment.

“The new players are quality ones and they are giving the old players a run for their money,’’ he said.

NAN reports that Rangers currently occupy the 18th position in the league with 17 points from 14 matches.

The club however have five outstanding matches to play in the league with three at home and two at away.(NAN)
NUO/ERO/OLAL
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(Edited by Emmanuel Okara and Olawale Alabi)