Starting from a 1-0 victory over Sunshine Stars of Akure in a rescheduled matchday 1 fixture at home, the ‘Flying Antelopes’, Rangers International F.C will on Sunday, November 17, 2019, be targeting all points at stake as Lagos based side, M.F.M comes visiting.
The main bowl of Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu is popularly known as ‘The Cathedral’ presents a perfect ground for the NPFL 2019/20 matchday 3 fixture between the ‘Flying Antelopes’, Rangers International F.C and visiting ‘Olukoya Boys’, M.F.M F.C.
Both sides go into this weekend’ tie on equal points from the same number of matches and maybe looking to take a break away from the lot with four points from two games played.
Another similarity with the two clubs is that both gaffers, Benedict Ugwu of Rangers and Tony Bulus of M.F.M were once assistant coaches in the ‘Flying Antelopes’ fold before becoming head coaches at their various sides.
However, there the similarities stop as ‘Surugede’ the Rangers gaffer have strong words going into the tie saying, “We appreciate the task on our hands when MFM comes to Enugu and I believe that we have prepared well enough to give our fans what they expect which is a victory for the maximum points.
“We know that they went to Okigwe to grab all three points against Heartland but this is Enugu and we are a different team from the Owerri side. They have young players which we also boast of and count on to deliver for us when it matters most. I am assuring and calling our fans to come out in their number to cheer us to victory,” Ugwu concluded.
Bulus who assisted coach Imama Amapakabo to the 2016 league triumph by Rangers joined the ‘Olukoya Babes’ at the start of this season and is already putting across his philosophy to the players that saw them steal an away win on the opening day of the season is full of optimism of leaving Enugu with his head held high.
“I always want my output on the pitch to speak for me. I believe I know some little things about Rangers. Ever since I started this job, I have had great memories of playing in Enugu and that is not about to stop. It would be tough but I believe we have a statement to make,” stated coach Bulus after his team’ mandatory feeling of the pitch, Saturday.
Last season, both sides cancelled each other out in Group A of the abridged league with a 1-0 victory in Lagos and Enugu while in the season before, it was a 0-0 draw in the only meeting by both sides in Enugu and in the 2016/17 season, Rangers lost 2-1 to MFM in Lagos but came out stronger in the return leg to win 2-0 in Enugu on July 19, 2017.
Going into this weekend’ tie, Rangers gaffer may miss the service of his two frontmen in the last two league matches to injury and a bout of malaria fever as only passing a late fitness test would see Nnamdi Egbujuo and Seka Pascal make the matchday squad while on the flip side, Ifeanyi George, Kelvin Itoya and Ikechukwu Ibenegbu look set to make a return.
