Rangers International FC thumps Abia Warriors 2-1 in Enugu
Rangers International FC of Enugu Wednesday defeated visiting Abia Warriors FC 2-1 in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) match day 30.
Hammed Yakub put the visitors ahead in the 42nd minute, making the Umuahia-based warriors stroll into the break with the lead.
Rangers achieved parity in the 53rd minute from Christian Nnaji before substitute Kenechukwu Agu made it 2-1 from a spot kick.
Speaking after the match, Abia Warriors Coach Imama Amakapabo said his team lost the match due to a technical error.
Amapakabo said his game plan was to pick at worst a point from the match and which was working for them until the technical errors from the players.
“Unfortunate result again and another technical error again cost my team this match and it is painful that we keep on getting such results that did not represent our field play.
“We have recently lost many matches, which we did not plan but we are doing our best to arrest the situation.
“Today’s match would have been a befitting turnaround for my team and I regretted the outcome of the match,” he said.
The one-time Rangers’ gaffer said, “we are going back to the drawing board to work on the team for future outings.
“The league is still long and we will keep on pushing and fighting for all points.
“It is high time the players concentrated on games so that it will be better for all of us,” Amapakabo said.
Rangers Coach Mangut Mbwas said the second half substitute lifted the team’s game.
“We made the substitute and the whole game changed and from there, we turned the game around.
“This is a good point for us and that shows that the players are not feeling the absence of the players in Super Eagles camp much.
Mbwas said the club is still much in the title race and must fight until the last whistle of the league.
He described Abia Warriors as unpredictable because it is a new team with lots of young boys.
“They are well organised and have lost matches before coming here. That was why they gave us a fight,” Mbwas said. (NAN)
