Players of the ‘Flying Antelopes’, Rangers International F.C still smarting from the deserved win over ‘Oriental Rivals’, Enyimba International F.C in a rescheduled M.D 19 fixture over the weekend look set as they plot the fall of another league giant, ‘The Pride of Rivers’, Rivers United in a M.D 21 fixture in Enugu.
The crunch tie is fixed for the main bowl of Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium, ‘The Cathedral’, Enugu with hostilities kicking off by 4.00 pm.
In the opening fixture between both teams in the ongoing season, it was a Fortune Ominiwari’ goal on 28 minutes that settled the encounter inside Adokiye Amiesiamaka stadium, Omagba, Port-Harcourt but the wards of coach Salisu Yusuf are fired up to make amends in this return fixture.
With the trio of attacking sensations, Elijah Ani, Christian Nnaji, and Israel Abia firing from all cylinders, it looks certain that the Enugu side will annex all three points at stake just as the backline ably led by Ernest Governor and Uche John would be alert to snuff out expected incursions from the former captain, Godwin Aguda and the duo of Sunday Adetunji and Fortune Ominiwari in their vital area.
For Rangers’ gaffer, Salisu Yusuf, Sunday’ encounter is not about revenge but to play their normal game, work for victory and get the three points at stake stressing, “The game against Rivers United will be a tough match just as it is with other clubs when they come to Enugu. Every time, we are very optimistic about getting the three points but we know we have to work extra hard to get all three points against a club like Rivers United. They were in the continent and still doing well in the league. I believe it is going to be a tough match but at the end of the day, we carry the day.”
Going a little down memory lane, both sides have clashed eight times between 2017 and 2020 with each side enjoying four wins apiece with the 3-0 spanking handed the ‘Flying Antelopes’ on May 2, 2019, in Port-Harcourt standing out as other fixtures had ended in solitary goals wins or 2-1 shorelines.
On current form, especially in the last six fixtures, Rangers have won its three home matches, drew one, and lost two games on the road while the visiting side has won four of its home games and lost two on the road.
The goal-scoring form of both sides have also been good with the Rangers scoring seven goals and conceding five while Rivers have scored nine and conceded eight in the last six matches in the ongoing NPFL 2020/21 season.
On his team’s motivation level going into the encounter, coach Yusuf said, “A win every time is a motivation against any team. So, it was a good motivation to get the win against Enyimba and it will be another motivation to beat Rivers United which will also give us a good motivation to beat Akwa United in the next game.”
