Tag: Amapakabo

Enugu Rangers’ head coach, Imama Amapakabo has thumbed up the FlyingAntelopes’ qualification for the first round of the CAF Champions League but admitted that his players did not have the best against the Algerian side, JS Saoura in the preliminary round, return leg tie.

Nigeria’s reigning league champions were held to a goalless draw at home by JS Saoura but they qualified for the next round because they drew the first leg in Algeria 1-1 and thus advanced by virtue of their away goal.
Amapakabo told SportingLife that his players ought to have taken their chances better and that with the qualification to the next round in the bag they will concentrate on finding a solution to their lack of goals starting with their Wednesday NPFL Match Day 7 rearranged home tie against Lobi Stars.
“Qualification to the next round is a good feeling but I know that it was a game I feel we should have done better. In as much as I am not completely satisfied with the performance of my team I am delighted that we are through to the next round,” Amapakabo told SportingLife.
Rangers will face Zamalek SC next in the first round of the competition with the first leg holding in Cairo in the weekend of March 10-12 while the second leg comes up in Enugu on March 19.

Super Eagles assistant coach Imama Amapakabo has singled out Bafana Bafana of South Africa as the main rivals for qualification to AFCON 2019 in Cameroon.

South Africa stopped Nigeria to AFCON 2015 in Equatorial Guinea and both teams are again drawn in the same qualifying pool with Libya and Seychelles.

The overall winners of the 12 qualifying groups and three best runners-up will join hosts Cameroon for the tournament proper.

The qualifiers will start in June, according to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) after Thursday’s draw in Gabon.

“This is a fair group. I am not taking anything away from the other teams, but I think South Africa will be the team for us to battle for the AFCON ticket,” Imama told AfricanFootball.com.

“Not taking anything away from Seychelles and Libya. But we will play all the teams with the same level of preparation.”

Nigeria have failed to qualify for the last two AFCONs and so will be under added pressure to ensure they reach Cameroon 2019.

“I am confident we will scale through we cannot afford to miss out on three Nations Cup. So, it is must we will deliver the ticket,” said the coach.

“Do you know how painful it is now that the AFCON will start this weekend and Nigeria are not participating?

“We will get the ticket to AFCON 2019, I am very hopeful.”

Enugu Rangers’head coach, Imama Amapakabo has disclosed that he and his Flying Antelopes’ team are looking forward to the start of the NPFL Super Four to help them assess the level of their preparedness for the three competitions they will be taking part in next season.

The NPFL Super Four is a tournament that always heralds the start of the premier league season and it is organised to help Nigerian clubs with CAF inter club engagements to gauge their build up and also test the blend between some of their new players and the retained ones from last season ahead of next campaign.

FC IfeanyiUbah, Wikki Tourists, Rivers United and Enugu Rangers are the four teams expected at the season’s opening tournament and the Coal City coach, Amapakabo told SportingLife that their long stay in Benin would be put to the test during the Super Four.

The Super Eagles’ assistant coach said that despite playing nine friendly matches during their stay in Benin City, he is yet to have a full grasp of them until they play during competitive match situation which playing in the Super Four would present.

Rangers which returned to Enugu on Thursday rounded off their preparation in Benin City with a 3-1 win over Buffalo FC of Benin.

Rangers International Technical Adviser, Imama Amapakabo expressed satisfaction with his team’s pre-season preparation in Benin City.

The league champions continue their impressive run in their building to the commencement of this year league season as well as the CAF Champion’s league competition with resounding victories in their pre-season matches.

The Flying Antelopes thrashed visiting Lion Heart F.C. of Lagos by four goals to nothing and continued the victory song on Wednesday with the Bashing of Bufalo F.C. of Benin by three goals to one to confirm their soccer supremacy over the Benin based and visiting clubs.

Amapakabo said the victories recorded are sign of good preparation, though stating there are still works in progress until perfection. He noted that more of such friendly matches have been lined up before and even after the Super Four tournament.

The team returned to Enugu on Thursday to intensity preparations for the Super Four tournament billed to hold in Enugu from December 7, 2016.

According to the information from the club, the old and new players will make the team for the Super Four tournament.

Imama Amapakabo has signed a new two-year deal with Nigerian champions Enugu Rangers to remain as their head coach.

The trainer penned the new contract on Wednesday in Enugu having agreed in principle to stay with the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) winners.

“Yes I have signed a new deal,” he told supersport.com on Wednesday after signing a contract extension with the Flying Antelopes.

“It is time to get down to work now after signing a new deal.”

Amapakabo was initially contracted on a one-year deal at Rangers in his first season as a head coach in the country’s top division.

He will now stay at the club till 2018 while he will oversee their three-pronged challenge of the Caf Champions League, NPFL and Federation Cup next season.