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Tag: RANGERS

  • Rangers, Enyimba claim vital wins in ‘Oriental Derbies’

    Rangers, Enyimba claim vital wins in ‘Oriental Derbies’

    Rangers have re-established three points gap atop the Nigeria Premier Football League following their 3-2 home win over Abia Warriors; Enyimba pipped Heartland FC in another Oriental derby while Kwara United scraped through with an away win to revive their topflight status hope as Matchday 30 were played yesterday.

    At the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu, Rangers fought hard before securing a 3-2 home win against Abia Warriors. It was their first win in the game’s head to head in the past four games.

    Isaac Saviour, Kazeem Ogunleye and Chiedozie Okorie were on the score sheets for the Flying Antelopes while Adejoh Ojonugwa and Pascal Nwabueze scored for Abia Warriors.

    With the win, Rangers remain first on the log with 54 points from 30 games while Abia Warriors are in 12th spot with 38 points.

    Rivers United put behind them their elimination from the CAF Confederation Cup to beat Plateau United 3-1. Alex Oyowah struck first for the Pride of Rivers before Deputy Etcheta and Udom Ekerette added theirs. Bernard Mundi reduced the goals arrears for the Peace Boys in the dying minute of the game.

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    Rivers United are in 17th spot with 34 points but are with six games at hand while Plateau United have dropped to the sixth spot with 47 points.

    At the Enyimba International Stadium, Aba, Enyimba held on to the second spot with 51 points after a 1-0 home win over Heartland FC. Ekene Awazie’s 35th minute wonder goal was enough for the three points.

    Lobi Stars were beaten 2-0 in Ibadan by Shooting Stars. The Pride of Benue have slid to the third spot with 51 points while 3SC are fourth with 49 points.

    In other games played, Bayelsa United were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Katsina United while Bendel Insurance needed a late goal before beating Kano Pillars 2-1 in Benin.

    Ubong Friday’s hat trick fuelled Akwa United’s 4-1 home win over Niger Tornadoes while Kwara United needed Sadeeq Yusuf late goal to beat Gombe United at the Pantami Stadium.

    In Lagos, Sporting Lagos pipped Sunshine Stars 1-0 through Pascal Durugbor’s early strike.

    The remaining Matchday 30 game will be played today in Gombe between Doma United and Remo Stars.

  • Rangers eye Kwara United scalp to be in title mix

    Rangers eye Kwara United scalp to be in title mix

    The battle for the league title that has become a five-horse race takes another dimension this weekend with Lobi Stars, Plateau United, and Remo Stars in away fixtures while Enugu Rangers and Enyimba who have home fixtures can seize the initiative writes TUNDE LIADI

    Rivers United versus Kano Pillars cracker billed for the Adokie Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt today is the headline fixture of Nigeria Premier Football League Matchday 24 ties while Shooting Stars versus Akwa United will also draw attention as a potential explosive game.

    There will be fireworks in Port Harcourt on Saturday when Kano Pillars face Rivers United. Sai Masu Gida pipped the Pride of Rivers 1-0 in the first leg played in October but Rivers United are under pressure to win the game to move up the league table. They are currently in the 13th spot with 27 points though with three games at hand due to their participation in the CAF Confederation Cup.

    Pillars, though sixth with 36 points are four points adrift of the top three. They need a positive result to stay in the hunt for CAF inter-club competitions.

    Katsina United will strive to compound Heartland FC woes when both teams clash in Katsina. The game ended 1-1 in Owerri but the Naze Millionaires have found it difficult to win games this season either home or away while the Chanji Boys have stabilized under Abubakar Bala and are presently seventh on the log with 34 points. Knowing that a home win could see them replace Kano Pillars in sixth spot if Sai Masu Gida lose in Port Harcourt, Katsina United will not want to joke with this tie. Heartland FC on the other hand have been stretched to the wall. They cannot afford to lose the fixture if they do not want to seal their relegation fate with over 10 games to the end of the season.

    \Rejuvenated Bayelsa United’s second-round revival suffered a hitch when they were beaten 1-0 by Remo Stars in Ikenne to complete a double over the Prosperity Boys but they should take care of Niger Tornadoes’ business today in Yenagoa while Sunshine Stars will hope to consolidate on their 1-1 draw away to Heartland FC when Plateau United visit them in Akure. The Peace Boys are second on the log with 41 points.

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    In Umuahia, Abia Warriors will mark their return to the Umuahia Township Stadium with a tough fixture against league leaders, Lobi Stars tomorrow. Abia Warriors under caretaker manager, Bethel Orji defeated Kano Pillars 1-0 in Kano and are eighth on the log with 33 points.

    Lobi Stars on their part beat Katsina United 2-0 in Lafia to remain atop the log with 42 points. Abia Warriors got N500,000 from one of the club’s fans, Francis Chilaka for the away win in Kano. Can they make it successive win?

    Enugu Rangers have turned themselves into league title contenders following their two successive away wins in Gombe (versus Doma United) and Kaduna (versus Niger Tornadoes) which has catapulted them to the third spot with 40 points. They need another win at home to Kwara United on Sunday to move to the top of the table with Lobi Stars (1st with 42 points) and Plateau United (2nd with 41 points) playing away to Abia Warriors and Sunshine Stars in that order.

    In Aba, Enyimba will welcome erratic Doma United to familiar terrain after their disappointing 3-1 defeat to Akwa United in Uyo. The Savannah Tigers have found it difficult to replicate their first-round performances and are still winless since Matchday 18.

    The People’s Elephant may move back to the top three if they win well against the Akinade Onigbinde led Doma United. Enyimba, who are the reigning league champions are currently fifth with 39 points. But they are only three points off the top of the table. Doma United have slipped to the ninth spot with 33 points.

    11th spot Shooting Stars will host Akwa United in Ibadan. The Oluyole Warriors drew 1-1 in Gombe against Gombe United and a home win will see them move to the top 10. 2021 league champs, Akwa United are under compulsion to record a positive result too to move them further away from their current 17th spot.

    There will be a South West derby in Lagos tomorrow when Remo Stars visit the Mobolaji Johnson Arena to trade tackles with Sporting Lagos. The Sky Blue Stars edged the Noisy Lagosians 2-1 in the first leg played in Ikenne. Sporting Lagos got a goalless draw in Gombe against off-colour Doma United and a third successive home win and their first league win over their South West neighbours will help take them away from the drop zone further.

  • Rangers seal mouth-watering sponsorship with Afrinvest

    Rangers seal mouth-watering sponsorship with Afrinvest

    Rangers International F.C has successfully penned a three-year shirt sponsorship deal with an investment firm, Afrinvest at an elaborate event that had the Secretary to Enugu State Government, Professor Chidiebere Onyia, and the cream-de-la-cream from the Coal City and beyond witnessing the epoch-making ceremony.

    In his speech at the event which is the first of its kind in a long while in the history of the club, the Group Managing Director, Afrinvest, Prince Ike Chioke, described the event as grand and one that has been after his heart as he has been following the team since his primary and secondary days in the city.

    “Today brings to fruition six years of trying to bring professional partnership and support to a football team. Indeed, sometime in 2017, I prepared and signed a partnership agreement with Rangers but unfortunately, that deal did not see the light of the day. Having achieved that today, I am ecstatic that I got the opportunity to do something with the team. You know, technical capacity is not what makes a team. You can have a group of young men who can play very well but the issue of how you take care of them, the medical insurance, their traveling plans, and others, if not well handled will gradually eat into the expected results.

    “The Afrinvest coming behind Rangers, what we want to do, we came up with the mantra, ‘Finance meets Football’ to ensure that the footballers have all that they need to concentrate and play football. It is our dream to see every football player in Rangers succeed professionally. This will no doubt form part of not only our Corporate Social Responsibility but also build it around youth empowerment and development” stated the financial investment guru.

    Professor Chidiebere Onyia praised the tremendous positive changes that have happened in the club since the appointment of Barrister Amobi Ezeaku as the G.M/CEO of Rangers, stressing that the sponsorship deal that was consummated goes a long way to show that Rangers was on its way towards rediscovering its nearly lost glory that was the pride of not only the Igbo race but the entire Nigeria.

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    Speaking earlier, the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Enugu state, Barrister Lloyd Ekweremadu praised the management of Rangers and officials of Afrinvest for the ground-breaking event while charging the players of the team to push hard on the field of play to ensure that followers of the club have something to celebrate. At the same time, the partnership lasted, stressing, “For taking this bold step to get this sponsorship, the management has shown doggedness, creativity and I commend them and their new partners, Afrinvest whose G.M.D, Prince Ike Chioke have never ceased to display his love for things that concern the development of Enugu state.”

    In his  remarks, Barrister Amobi Ezeaku, the G.M/CEO of Rangers went down memory lane to capture the struggles that led to the formation of the team with a lot of victories to celebrate the efforts of the foundation members of the club on the field of play describing the sponsorship deal with Afrinvest as the best thing to have happened to the team in its quest to re-brand, re-organize, re-launch and rediscover the winning touch that Rangers is revered for.

    “Afrinvest and Rangers are on a mission to dominate Africa. We would dominate the world but that would be after dominating Africa. Rangers and our new shirt sponsor, Afrinvest are two great institutions with great potential. We share a relationship. When finance meets with football, magic happens,” stated the youngest club chairman in the country.

    Stakeholders that witnessed the event, include the C.O.O of the Nigeria Premier League, Prince Davidson Owumi who presented a goodwill message from the chairman of the NPFL board, Gbenga Elegbeleye; legends of the club, Chairman Christian Chukwu Mfr; Emmanuel Okala M.O.N; and many others.

    The three-year sponsorship deal will see Rangers rake in fifty million naira every season that the deal is consummated.

  • Pre-Season friendly: Heartland, Rangers battle to a draw

    Pre-Season friendly: Heartland, Rangers battle to a draw

    Heartland FC have been held to a 1-1 draw by Enugu Rangers in a friendly game played at the Awka Township Stadium, Awka yesterday evening as the 2023-24 NPFL season gathers momentum.

    All the NPFL clubs have been involving themselves in friendly games as they step up their preparations for the commencement of the season tentatively fixed for September 10th.

    The two Oriental brothers sized themselves up in Awka but they could only cancel out each other in the game and had to settle for a draw.

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    Joel Okoro fired the Flying Antelopes ahead in the 44th minute but Tunde Oyewole restored parity for Heartland in the second half to ensure the Naze Millionaires secure a share of the spoils.

    In another friendly game played in Uyo, Abia Warriors who were reduced to 10 players got a 1-1 draw against FC One Rocket. Daniel Saga equalised for the NNL side in the dying moments of the game from the spot.

  • We never abandoned Chukwu, says Enugu govt

    Irked by the spate of negative publicity the illness of Former Rangers and National team captain has attracted to the state, the Enugu state government has come out with a strong worded statement insisting that it has not abandoned the football legend to his fate.

    In a statement by the state commissioner for information, Ogbuagu Anikwe, it squarely put the blame on Chukwu’s friend who posted on Facebook with the impression that Chukwu was being neglected by the state government.

    Ogbuagu in the statement outlined the efforts the Enugu state government had put to ensure that the football icon got the best of treatment and care regarding his illness.

    The statement posited:

    “The Enugu State Government has so far been restrained in its reaction to the spate of misinformation and outright lies promoted by a friend of the iconic Enugu Rangers player, Mr. Christian Chukwu who is ill and has been hospitalised. This restraint is out of respect to the wishes of both the Chukwu family and the request of his doctors who wanted a space to quietly deal with the emergency situation that brought Chukwu to hospital on a stretcher.

    Today, however, Chairman Chukwu is walking with a stick and has granted interviews to the BBC and a couple of local media. It is on the strength of this that the Enugu State Government is now putting out the following information and clarifications to explain what is happening to Christian Chukwu and how it is being taken care of:

    “Christian Chukwu, popularly called “Chairman” in his playing days, is NOT a destitute old man abandoned to his fate in the face of an emergency health situation. He is currently the Director of Sports in the Rangers Management Corporation, a public service job that enables him to meet his basic health needs.

    Read Also: Chukwu was not abandoned, says Rangers

    “In the circumstance, Christian Chukwu is an employee of the Enugu State Government. This was one of the strategies that Rt. Hon. Dr. Ugwuanyi, the Governor of Chukwu’s home state of Enugu, designed to take care of sportsmen who had served the State or the nation in their youth.

    “When Chukwu’s health situation was brought to the attention of his employer – Rangers Management Corporation – he was rushed to one of the best medical facilities in Enugu where a team of five (5) specialists have been attending to him.

    “The management of Rangers Management Corporation immediately deposited N200,000 with this health facility to begin his treatment.

    “On hearing about his health condition, Gov. Ugwuanyi gave an additional N1.5million to the Commissioner for Youth and Sports to give to the family — in order to ensure that the football legend did not lack anything that the team of specialists may require to manage his condition.

    “The Governor has also given an additional N1million to the family when the doctors

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  • Chukwu was not abandoned, says Rangers

    The management of Rangers International Football Club of Enugu on Monday, denied the rumours making the round that the club abandoned their Technical Director, Christian Chukwu, saying the rumour was not only untrue, but imagination of the writer.

    Norbert Okolie made this known in a statement signed in Enugu while reacting to stories making the rounds in most social media platforms that the club and Enugu State Government abandoned it’s former player.

    The club said that their former coach and a national team captain was been attended to in his hour of need as he recovers from a life threatening health challenge.

    The General Manager of Rangers International, Prince Davidson Owumi, described the stories of alleged abandonment of the national icon as completely baseless.

    He said that both the club and the state government led by Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has been doing all that was needed to help the coach back on his feat.

    “We in Rangers made the initial deposit for his admission for medical attention at Nike Clinic, GRA, Enugu.

    “After informing the state government of his condition, the sum of One million, five hundred thousand naira (N1.5m) only was made available to his family for treatment which has been carried out,”he said.

    He is right now recovering from the treatment carried out on him.

    Read Also: Morelos: Flipside of Rangers in-form striker

    Prince Owumi further said that the club made the initial N200,000 deposit for his admission and commencement of treatment at the private health facility.

    “Christian Chukwu is a legend and our governor holds him in high esteem and takes whatever concerns him with high regard.

    “So, it beats me hollow for some media channels to start peddling stories that he was abandoned. It is not true.

    “Our legend, Chukwu has been assessed by medical personnel at the hospital and is gradually getting over the health challenge.

    “We did not want to make the efforts of Enugu state government and Rangers, in this case, public, because his family never wanted his condition a public affair,”he said.

  • Morelos: Flipside of Rangers in-form striker

    THERE is heartache behind the heroics that Alfredo Morelos performs in a Rangers jersey. In a revealing, emotional insight, the Colombian striker has explained how the death of a younger sister drove him to provide a better future for his family.

    Today, Morelos will seek to become the first Ibrox player in a decade to reach the 30-goal mark in a season when he lines up against Celtic. His importance to Steven Gerrard’s side is well established. So, too, is the adoration he receives from the Rangers support.

    However, the motivation that took the 22-year-old from his home town of Cerete to Glasgow, via Helsinki, has only been partly understood by those out with the player’s inner circle. At its core is how he responded to the pain of a family tragedy.

    “My family supports me very unconditionally, they always give me that motivation, that love to do things better every day,” he said. “The love of my parents, my sisters, it makes me proud to be doing what I’ve been doing so far.

    “I promised my mother. I had a little sister who died and I promised her, too. We’ve gone through some hurdles, we’ve fallen, and thanks to God I’ve been smart and have had a positive attitude.

    “My little sister was a very big motivation for me. I told my mother that I would take care of them because we were a very poor family in Colombia, in Cerete.

    “And thanks to God, since my little sister died, I told my mother one day: “I’m going to take care of you and my whole family”. Thanks to God, now we are doing well.’

    Morelos was presented with a medal by the mayor of Cerete when he was at home during the winter break. That ceremony preceded a tribute match in which he and his friends, all in Rangers kits, took on local side Aquel Atletico Cordoba.

    The striker remains proud of his roots and likes to return to the school where he was first set on the path to professional football.

    Insisting the support of his father — Alfredo snr — was ‘fundamental’, Morelos said: “My career started at Los Fumigadores in Cerete, a very nice school which has brought up many children.

    “There was the teacher, Astolfo, and the president of the club, Vincente Fernandez. They were the ones that gave me the opportunity to be part of the club, mostly Vincente. It’s been a super-important education for me, they supported me a lot. They are really close to me and I’m thankful.

    That affection for his hometown is clearly reciprocated. Morelos revealed his old stomping ground was brought to a standstill when he made his debut for the Colombian national team in a friendly against Venezuela last September.

    “Playing for Colombia was really special,’ said Morelos, who also featured in the recent friendlies against Japan and South Korea.”They closed the whole street in the neighbourhood, there was a massive screen. The neighbours, the kids and my family were all there. It was something incredible.

    “I am very happy about all these people that support me. Cerete is a very small town and everyone knows each other very well.

    “They always have a good opinion of me and of who I am. I am very happy to be making Cerete known. I’m very proud of my town and also of Colombia.’

    His father and mother, Martha, have been to visit Morelos in Glasgow.

    “My family is very proud of me —my mother, my father, they cry, they cry watching me play,’ he continued.

    “My parents were here, they now know how it is — the atmosphere here and more so now seeing it themselves.

    “They feel proud of their son because I do it with a lot of love for them, too.”

    Morelos’ ambition was always to follow his idol, Lionel Messi, into European football. But his route was less travelled. After gaining a grounding with Los Fumigadores, Morelos was spotted by Deportivo Independiente Medellin as a teenager.

    “They gave me the opportunity to prove myself there,’ he explained. ‘And well, thanks to God, I passed the tests.

  • Fans urge Rangers on extra effort for CAF group stage

    Enugu Rangers International FC fans in Ebonyi have urged the team to put in extra efforts in the CAF Confederation Cup group stage which draws hold on Monday in Cairo, Egypt.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the team defeated Bantu FC of Lesotho 2-1 in the play-off return leg in Enugu on Sunday, to qualify for the competition’s group stage on a 4-2 aggregate.

    The fans, who spoke to NAN on Monday in Abakaliki, congratulated the team for scaling the preliminary round hurdles but noted that the group stage would be stiffer.

    Desmond Ome, Secretary of Ebonyi Football Association hailed the team’s resilience, noting that it had carried its AITEO cup winning streak unto the competition.

    “Rangers have been impressive in the confederation cup competition as the players have shown unparalleled dedication, commitment and desire to excel.

    “The team’s away-record in the competition has been splendid with the favourable results eliminating the pressure it would have encountered while playing at home,” he said.

    Melvin Uzor, Defunct Nitel-Vasco Dagama FC Player however noted that the competition in the group stage would be stiffer because of the presence of champions like Rangers.

    “Teams that would compete at the group stage are those which won their preliminary matches and are there for business.

    “The players should therefore redouble their efforts by heeding to the coaches’ instructions, playing with more sense of purpose and strengthening the bond of unity among them,” he said.

    Chief Basil Anagha, a businessman and soccer buff, urged the technical crew to review the team’s performance in all its matches to correct areas of defect.

    “From the team’s matches I watched, the players tend to relax and become serious only when their opponents ‘take the game to them’ or when they are on the ‘back foot’.

    “They should realise that teams competing at the group stage are highly technical and experienced and might seal the encounters if given such opportunities by Rangers,” he said.

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    Mrs Chika Okoro, a teacher and ardent Rangers fan, urged the team to still concentrate on its league matches despite participating in the confederation cup group stage.

    “The team should approach its first league encounter with MFM of Lagos on Wednesday with utmost seriousness, including other domestic engagements on its schedule.

    “It should avoid a repeat of the 2016/17 season where it was eliminated in the CAF Champions league preliminary rounds and struggled to remain in the domestic league’s elite division,” she said.

  • Defoe joins Rangers on 18-month loan deal

     

     

    Bournemouth striker Jermain Defoe has completed an 18-month loan switch to Scottish Premier League club Rangers, the English Premier League side said on Sunday.

    It is a move that reunites him with former England team mate Steven Gerrard, who is the manager of the club.

    Bournemouth added that Defoe, who has struggled for playing time this season, making only four substitute appearances in the league, will remain at Rangers until 2020.

    But the south-coast club has the option of recalling the 36-year-old in July.

    “I’m delighted to be able to welcome Jermain to Rangers,” Gerrard told the Rangers website.

    “He is an exceptionally talented striker and vastly experienced footballer who has scored goals at every club he has played for.

    “He’ll be a great addition to our dressing room and we look forward to integrating him into the squad whilst we work in Tenerife over the next week.”

    Former West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland veteran Defoe has made 34 appearances in his second spell at Bournemouth, scoring four goals.

    He has scored 162 Premier League goals in 496 appearances throughout his 24-year professional career and has 57 caps for the national team to date.

    Bournemouth signed Dominic Solanke from Liverpool on Friday with the striker expected to fill in for Defoe, but the 21-year-old will be unavailable throughout January due to a hamstring injury.

    Rangers are second in the Scottish Premiership, level on 42 points with great rivals Celtic, as they seek a first top flight title in eight years.(Reuters/NAN)

     

  • Rangers are 2018 Aiteo Cup Champions

    Enugu Rangers Football Club have lifted the 2018 edition of the Aiteo Cup, after a nail-biting penalty shootout win over Kano Pillars yesterday at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.

    It was a game of two halves with Sai Masu Gida dominating the first half and racing to a two-goal lead by halftime through the goals of Rabiu Ali and Alassan Ibrahim in the 5th and 19th minutes.

    Pillars progressed from where they left off at the start of the second half with Nyima Nwagua putting his name on the scoresheet in the 48th minute.

    Ibrahim Musa’s men would have increased the tally few minutes after the third goal but the centre referee adjudged that the Pillars’ goalscorer was offside before scoring.

    The dramatic comeback began almost immediately when Gbenga Ogunbote effected some changes. Bringing on Kelvin Itoya and Ajani Ibrahim, while Nana Bonsu replaced ineffective Femi Thomas.

    The Flying Antelopes reduced the tally in the 77th minute through Itoya before Chidera Ezeh netted the second in the 82nd minute to the delight of Rangers’ fans.

    The stadium was brought to a standstill in the dying minutes of the game when Ibrahim, another substitute made his impact felt with the equaliser.

    There was not much to separate between both teams after the Flying Antelopes’ equaliser and it was not long before the centre referee, Adebimpe Quadri blew the final whistle for the game to be decided by penalty shootout.

    Ever reliable penalty taker, Rabiu Ali stepped up to take the first spot kick but ballooned his effort over the bar.  Godwin Zaki, Chidera Ezeh, Ifeanyi George and Okey Odita all converted theirs for Rangers.

    Pillars could only convert two of their four kicks, while Jimoh Ismail was also unlucky from 12 yards as his effort was saved by Nana Bonsu.

    Rangers thus emerged as the 2018 Aiteo Cup winner 4-2 on penalties.

    Rangers won the 25 million naira prize money for winning the competition and they have earned the ticket to represent Nigeria in the CAF Confederation Cup later in the year.

    It is their sixth Aiteo Cup crown and the first since 1983.