CCC PLAYOFF: RANGERS STORM LOME FOR A.S.C KARA’ SCALP
As the Total/CAF Confederation cup 2019/2020 competition approaches the money-spinning stage, one of Nigeria’s surviving clubs, RangersInternational F.C will be storming the Togolese capital, Lome for a date with Association Sportive des Conducteurs de Kara (A.S.C.K) with a place in the group stage its main target.
It’s no news that A.S.C.K are the reigning champions of the Togolesetop flight just as it is no news that the team got knocked out of the more prestigious CAF Champions League where they played four matches,won one, lost one and drew two, scoring two goals and conceding same while it is a documented fact that this team provided seven players to the Togo CHAN team that stopped Nigeria from an appearing at next year’s tournament in Cameroon but Rangers is poised to stop this seeming dominance when both sides clash over two legs.
For the seven-time Nigeria league champions who placed third in Group B of last season’ competition after going eight matches without a loss in both preliminary and knock out rounds, going further than they achieved the last term is a target that every member of the team has set and surmounting the huddle in the form of A.S.C.K is a task that must be done after navigating past a tricky Gabonese side, A.S Pelican 4-3 over two legs in the first round of the competition.
Head coach of Rangers, Benedict Ugwu, is full of confidence going into the first leg of the fixture scheduled for Stade de Kegue, Lome, as he expressed optimism and assured the ‘Flying Antelopes’ followers that a win was achievable in Lome so as to make the return leg at ‘TheCathedral’, Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, a mere formality.
The ASJU 3rd Best African Player-of-the-Year, 1990, said, “Well, we are going there (Lome) to battle. A battle we must succeed, I hope. They are a good side and we expect a good fight from them but we are prepared for them and we are going to face the fight as we see it here. Yes, their players may dominate Togo’ CHAN team but we also had our own contribution to our national team but that is a different ballgame. We are not scared of that feat by our opponent. We are relaxed and confident that we shall come out with a good result.”
The 26-man delegation of the ‘Flying Antelopes’ are expected to departing, Friday, to connect a flight from Lagos to the Togolese capital for the match slated for Sunday, October 27, 2019, and make a return a day later to prepare for the return fixture expected to take place at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium on Sunday, November 3, 2019.
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The first leg match slated for Stade de Kegue de Lome will be handled by Senegalese arbiters led by Daouda Gueye at the center.