Coach Fidelis Ilechukwu and his wards have their eyes set on the maximum points at stake as the ‘Flying Antelopes’, Rangers International F.C of Enugu return to its hallowed ground, Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, ‘The Cathedral’ for the rearranged match day 16, NPFL 2023/2024 fixture against old rivals, Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan on Thursday, December 28, 2023.
Having re-discovered its winning formula after a few weeks of glitches, the Nnewi-born tactician is positively going into this fixture against coach Olugbenga Ogunbote and his ‘Oluyole Warriors’ gang from the industrial city of Ibadan.
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Smarting from a heartwarming 1-1 draw in Aba against oriental rivals, Enyimba, coach Ilechukwu, and his lieutenants are not leaving anything to chance as they continued the build-up to this fixture against an old rival in a newly laid pitch with high optimism.
Speaking ahead of the match, coach Ilechukwu said, “It will be a tough match but we have prepared well to earn a deserved win. No disrespect to our opponent, they are a quality side with an experienced coach, but we have our work cut out and we shall get the job done by the grace of God. Playing before our home fans will be an added advantage and we believe it will count in our favor on Thursday.”
Going into this fixture the form guide for Rangers was D, W, L, L, L while that of the opponents was L, D, L, D, L even when both sides are blessed with a quality mix of youth and experienced players that will keep fans yelling for more as was the case in 1977 in Kaduna in the second leg of the semi-final of CAF Cup Winners Cup encounter.
Since 2009, both sides have met sixteen times with each grabbing five wins apiece with six encounters ending in a draw.
Rangers pride itself as the second most lethal attack in the season thus far with nineteen goals scored as against seventeen scored by the visiting, 3SC just as the Enugu side currently occupies the 9th spot of the log with nineteen points and a game in hand while the Ibadan side is a spot below with the same number of points but an inferior goals aggregate.
Supporters of Rangers and football fans in Enugu are expected to troop out in their numbers to watch this titanic soccer battle between two traditional clubs as two of the most decorated and oldest clubs in the country take center stage at ‘The Cathedral’ that has been starved of actions for over two and a half season with the gates thrown open on the directive of the executive governor of Enugu state, H.E, Dr. Peter Mbah.
