NPFL: Rangers target positive result in Jos

As the reigning Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) champions, Rangers International FC visits Tin City, Jos, for a match day 11, NPFL 2024/2025 fixture against the ‘Peace Boys’, Plateau United FC, the chief coach of the ‘Flying Antelopes’, Ekeh Ekenedilichukwu has assured the club’s teaming fans that the team was in Jos to get a positive result.

The encounter scheduled for the New Jos Stadium, Zaria Road, Jos, Plateau State, will see the eight-time Nigeria champions who currently occupy the 5th spot on the twenty-team log with 15 points from ten matches played slog it out with the 2017 league champions who are just a point and a spot below the second most successful club in the country.

Coach Ekenedilichukwu, in an exclusive chat, stated that the team that is in Jos to defend the badge of the reigning champions was carefully selected and ready to come up with a positive result that will keep the club’s desires of a successful title defense burning.

“We understand that this encounter is more like a derby match with the number of players and coaches that have featured for both sides in the past. Our opponents will be coming all out with the former chief coach of Rangers, Mbwas Mangut, with the trio of Olawale Doyeni, Samuel Pam, and Ebuka Anthony, while we are coming with our technical adviser, Fidelis Ilechukwu, Kazeem Ogunleye, Austin Opara, Ifeanyi Onyebuchi, and Silas Nenrot who formerly played here. So, we expect a tough match but we are positive about the outcome of the encounter,” said coach Ekenedilichukwu.

Having gone three matches unbeaten, the Enugu landlords are well placed to leave the Tin-City unscratched, as was the case in Uyo and Ilorin when they last traveled as they build on the splendid display against Nasarawa United on match day 10, where former league top-scorer, Godwin Obaje, grabbed a brace.

When both sides clashed in the corresponding fixture last season, M.D 12, it was a late goal (90+4 minutes) by Olawale Doyeni that earned victory for the Jos side with a 2-1 score line after Chidiebere Nwobodo’s 16 minutes strike had cancelled out a 3rd minute goal by Vincent while in the return leg in Enugu, it was Chiedozie Okorie and Godwin Obaje that condemned the Jos side to a 2-0 defeat.

Both sides have clashed fifteen times since 2011 season with each earning seven victories apiece while a game ended in a draw.

Also worthy of note in this fixture will be the appearance of players and coaches that had once defended the badge of the opposing team with coach Fidelis Ilechukwu leading the quartet of Silas Nenrot, Austin Opara, Ifeanyi Onyebuchi, and Kazeem Ogunleye on this soccer battle against former Rangers’ trio of Anthony Ebuka, Samuel Pam, and Olawale Doyeni under coach Mbwas Mangut.