Rangers International F.C., Enugu, in its very last match of the year, 2022, earned a deserved goalless draw against ‘Oriental Rivals’, Enyimba International F.C. inside Enyimba Stadium, Aba, Saturday.
Both coaches featured their best legs with the ‘Aba Elephants’ looking to do more harm to the image of the ‘Flying Antelopes’ in the 2022 calendar year but coach Abdul Maikaba had other ideas to earn some respect and points from the fixtures involving both teams.
Detan Ogundare was in superlative form between the sticks for the Enugu side just as Austin Onyemaechi and Kingsley Maduforo sparkled in the third half with the defensive quartet of Uche John, Ebuka Anthony, John Jacob, and Philip Clement were top-notch while Ojo Olorunleke also did his beats between the sticks for the Aba side.
The second stanza was much better for the coach Maikaba tutored side with the introduction of Elijah Ani, Chidiebere Nwobodo, Samuel Pam, and Eso Achibong as they pushed the host back into their defensive shell and would have scored but for the sharp reflexes of Olorunleke.
Coach Abdul Maikaba said after the encounter, “It was a good game against a quality side. They pushed us hard to test our backline but we reacted well just as our frontmen also did well to create opportunities that we were unlucky not to convert. Our performance gives me a lot of confidence heading to the start of the new football season.”
Recall that Enyimba enjoyed the bragging right over their fierce rivals at the ended year with three victories in the NPFL and the Preseason tournament that recently took place in Lagos.
