NPFL: ILECHUKWU REACTS TO RANGERS GOALLESS DRAW AGAINST EL KANEMI, BRANDS IT WORST OUTING

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Following the goalless draw between Rangers international and El Kenami warriors at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium on Saturday, the flying antelopes’ coach, Fidelis Ilechukwu, has shown dissatisfaction with the result.

Ilechukwu expressed his disappointment with the outcome of his team’s opening game in their Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) title defence, branding it as “one of our worst games.”

The NPFL champions began their title defence at their Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium with a 0-0 draw against President Federation Cup holders El-Kanemi Warriors on Saturday and the former Heartland and Plateau United coach did not fail to bare his mind on the outcome.

His words, “Today is one of the worst games we have played in this stadium and I am very sad about it because we had our game plan and at times football is funny and things won’t go the way you expect it to go. I must say El-Kanemi Warriors are a good side because I know the team so well. Now we have to plan a way forward because the game has been played and it’s gone,” Ilechukwu said after the match.

However, he recognises that they need to sit back and review their performances ahead of subsequent matches, starting with an important two-legged affair against Angola’s Sagrada Esperança in the CAF Champions League second round playoff.

Ilechukwu is now concerned with their recent form in competitive games this season which has seen them win just once in three games and drawing two, considering the standard of their opponents.

“It’s a general (team problem) thing. We have to sit down and analyse everything that happened today. (In this game) we did less than what people expected of us and even what we expected from ourselves. We won’t kill ourselves though it is a disappointing outcome but we must forge ahead.

“It is very concerning (ahead of our CAF Champions League match against Angola’s Sagrada). This same (performance) thing happened in our last game on the continent and when things like this happen you have to realize that we have to sit down and start analyse our stats and putting heads together to find a solution especially as we have some days ahead to prepare for the next game,” Ilechukwu said.

Rangers will face Sagrada Esperança in the CAF Champions League second round, first leg at home on the weekend of September 13 and 15 before heading to Angola the following weekend for the return leg with their league fixtures against Ikorodu City and Bayelsa United on Matchdays 2 and 3 in view.

It was a bad day at office, Rangers skipper reacts to draw

Rangers International captain, Chinemerem Ugwueze, has admitted that they had “a bad day at the office” after failing to start their title defence of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) with a win following a 0-0 draw with El-Kanemi Warriors on Saturday.

The Flying Antelopes were favoured to breeze past their opponents, considering they were playing at their Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium home ground where El-Kanemi Warriors have failed to avoid defeat or score a goal in their last nine visits.

Ugwueze is of the opinion that the titleholders are a better side than the outcome of the match on the first day of the season.

“It’s a bad day at the office. The result wasn’t what we were expecting. I believe we are better than this but our plans didn’t go as mapped out. Really, it is just a bad day at the office,” the Rangers midfielder said.

The Rangers captain however acknowledged that their inadequacies in front of goal remains “a thing of concern,” especially after dour performances over two legs in the CAF Champions League first round playoff against Comoros Island’s US Zilimadjou and now followed by another off-colour display with El-Kanemi Warriors.

Ugwueze believes the team need time to work together in order to improve on their performances in subsequent matches this season.

“Of course, it (our lack of goalscoring) is a thing of concern. Without goals there is no way you can win a game. We don’t want to use the word ‘a major problem’ considering the games we have played in the face of the goal drought. The league is just starting and I believe with time we will improve. It’s more difficult because of the CAF Champions League we have on ground. I believe with time we will get there.

“There is always room for improvement (for the new signings) of course. The old players, many of them played one season for Rangers and were fortunate enough to be crowned champions last season. I think the new players won’t be an exception as I believe with time if we work together definitely we will achieve (something),” said Ugwueze.

With more matches fast approaching in the NPFL and CAF Champions League, the Rangers captain is optimistic that they will turn the corner after their languid start to the season.

“We will do what we have to do (for the next games). The result was not okay for us but we will do what is necessary for us to do,” Ugwueze promised.