Three first half goals were all that was needed by the ‘Flying Antelopes’, Rangers International F.C to bounce back to winning ways as they overcame a stubborn Kwara United F.C in a matchday 25, NPFL 2021/2022 fixture at the Awka City Stadium, Awka, Anambra state, Sunday.
Coach Abdul Maigaba kept faith with the squad that lost narrowly to Niger Tornadoes, midweek in Kaduna, save for Chidiebere Nwobodo, Olawale Doyeni and Chidiebere Nwobodo who got the nod for a start in the weekend’ fixture and there was no disappointing the vastly traveled gaffer.
Ossy Martins grabbed a brace with Chidiebere Nwobodo getting the other in an eighteen-minute blitz of quality football from the home side and slip ups from the visitors.
Goalkeeper, Emmanuel Iwu failed to handle a Shedrack Asiegbu’ well drilled shot from the edge of the box and Ossy Martins reacted the fastest to the spilled ball to stab home the opening goal of the encounter on 4 minutes and at the quarter-hour mark, another slip from the keeper gifted Chidiebere Nwobodo the opportunity to increase the tally for the home side.
On 18 minutes, Ossy Martins scored his second of the day when he was expertly set up by Chukwuebuka Okorie from the edge of the box as the defenders failed to spot the danger.
Despite creating more opportunities to harvest more goals, substitute goalkeeper for the visitors, Abdulateef Ishola did well to keep the score line the way he met it as both sides retired for the first half.
The introduction of Samad Kadiri and Ayobami Junior at the start of the second stanza by coach Abdullahi Biffo, to a very large extent stabilized the play of the visiting team and ventured forward with Junior Lokosa combining well with the fresh legs but the efforts could not result in a goal.
Christian Nnaji, Elijah Ani and Ossy Martins all had opportunities to further punish the ‘Afonja Warriors’ with more goals but for the reflexes of goalkeeper, Ishola.
Coach Mbwas Mangut, chief coach of Rangers said after the encounter, “It was a good match that went the way we planned it as the goals came early in the fixture which gave us the confidence to play some good football. But, in the second half our opponent came out stronger and created some opportunities which we defended well. We continue to work on the weak link in the team as we prepare for coming matches.”
Coach Abdullahi Biffo, Technical Adviser to Kwara United said, “We gave away two cheap goals and was careless in our defending that resulted in the third and that put paid to our plans coming into the match. We created some opportunities but failed to take them against a very good side, Rangers International F.C.”
