Defending champions of Ifeanyi Ekwueme Tico/Select Preseason Tournament, Rangers International F.C will play no more part in defending the trophy it won last year as they lost to neighbors, Abia Warriors, 5-4 on penalties after scores stood at 1-1 at the end of regulation time.
The encounter which was the semi-final of the 3rd edition of the preseason tournament took place inside the main bowl of Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, Friday, November 26, 2021, saw the ‘Flying Antelopes’ take the game to the half of their opponent and took a fortuitous lead on 3 minutes when Markson Ojobo headed past his goalkeeper an Ossy Martins’ probing cross for an own-goal.
To their credit, the coach Imama Amapakabo tutored side reacted well to the early setback and in one of their forays upfront, were awarded a free-kick from the edge of the box but the kick was adjudged to have hit the hand of Ugochukwu Ugwuoke inside the box and the referee awarded a penalty kick to the Umuahia side which was expertly dispatched by Godwin Obaje on 10 minutes.
On 18 minutes, Rangers were handed a numerical advantage as defender Ugochukwu Austin was shown a straight red card by the referee for a dangerous play but this did not tilt the victory pendulum to the Enugu side but all thanks to the goalkeeper, Vincent Edafe, who parried, punched, blocked and plucked all balls aimed at his goal.
Ossy Martins, Christian Madu, Bala Akintunde, Christian Nnaji, Chinonso Eziekwe all came close to increasing the score for the coach Abdul Maikaba’ wards late in the first stanza and early second half raids but Edafe stood his ground just as his defenders did well to help him clear his lines on few occasions when the raids were too much.
The lottery of penalty kicks was called to separate the two sides and the men from Umuahia were more clinical with their spot-kicks as they converted five of their eight kicks while the ‘Flying Antelopes’ converted four of theirs with Daniel Wotlei scoring the winning spot-kick to send Abia Warriors into the final match of the tournament on Sunday when they will engage Heartland F.C in Owerri.
Coach Abdul Maikaba said after the encounter, “It was a great match against a side that defended very well and worked on catching us on the counter after they were reduced by a man. I am disappointed naturally as we had our eyes set on winning the trophy but we go back with some positives while we have to work on the weak links before the start of the new football season.”
