Rangers coach Fidelis Ilechukwu has apologies to the fans for his team’s poor first half performance against Kano Pillars which Ahmed Musa assisted three goals and scored one for himself as Kano Pillars led 4-0 at half time at the Nnamdi Azikwe Stadium in the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL, matchday 7 encounter on Wednesday Sports247 report’s.
However, the NPFL reigning champion rallied in the second and scored three goals, but not enough to save the day as Rangers lost 3-4 in front of their fans.
In his post match reaction, the Super Eagles assistant coach lamented the poor performance of his team and apologised to the fans, picked some positives from the match and promised to correct the mistakes and make it up for the fans in their subsequent matches.
Coach Fidelis Ilechukwu said, “Yes, in football it happens. We are not happy. I am not happy as well but this is one of the things that happens in the game of football.”
” I think Kano Pillars was better in the first half, in as much as I was not around in the first half, but I think in the second half we did better, breaking the jinx of only one goal a match since the start of the season.”
” Today, we scored three and it’s a sign that there is hope for the team. We have to take this small advantage of converting chances into our next game.”
” We apologize to our fans that came out inside the rain today to cheer us despite the result of the game. We shall make it up for them, ” Ilechukwu assured the fans.
The home side’s technical crew started much with the squad that lost by a lone goal at the weekend with the quartet of Japhet Opubo, Ikenna Stephen, Agu Kenechukwu and Anayor Ogbonna making the starting team but it was the visitors that had legendary Rabiu Ali and former Super Eagles’ captain, Ahmed Musa and national team mate, Shehu Abdullahi that got their rhythm the quickest in the encounter.
Two penalty kicks that were neatly converted by Rabiu Ali on 18 and 41 minutes after the referee spotted a handball incidence and a tripping incidence as well as a cool finish by Zulkifilu Muhammad on 29 minutes off a cross from Ahmed Musa and a sublime goal by the immediate past Super Eagles captain on 45+2 minutes gave the visitors a commanding 0-4 lead going into the break.
However, a quartet of substitutions from the coaching crew of the ‘Flying Antelopes’ that saw Hillary Ekawu, Anayor Ogbonna, Ikenna Stephen and Chiedozie Okorie exit the stage for Saviour Isaac, Frank Uwumiro, Silas Nenrot and Effimi Nsi, turned the tide towards the home side as Saviour Isaac fired home on 46 and 58 minutes to half the deficit while Silas Nenrot slotted home another on 90 minutes after being set up by Frank Uwumiro.
But there was no opportunity to repeat another come-back win for the Enugu side as was the case in an Aiteo Cup final in Asaba in 2018 though, Kazeem Ogunleye and Ifeanyi Onyebuchi greased the upright and cross-bar in quick succession.
Rangers are on ten points from seven matches and will next travel to Uyo to engage Akwa United in a match day 8 encounters in Uyo at the weekend.
