NPFL: Rangers chase vital points to Gombe
The ‘Flying Antelopes’, Rangers International F.C of Enugu will this weekend, match day 21 fixture of NPFL 2023/2024 season, be chasing its first win on the road as they tackle Doma United F.C of Gombe inside Pantami Stadium, Gombe.
After a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Akwa United in the first match of the second round of the season at ‘The Cathedral’, the coach Fidelis Ilechukwu would look to build on that win to enhance its chances of finishing the season on a respectable position.
With the inclusion of six fresh talents in the squad with one, Zulkifilu Muhammad making his debut in the win last weekend, the coaching crew is spoilt for choices in this encounter with Doma United that started the season on a high and placed a position and a point ahead of the visiting Coal City side.
The match day 21 fixture will be the fifth top-flight encounter between both sides with Rangers enjoying an edge with three victories and a draw in the first four encounters with Kalu Nweke and Austin Onyemaechi’s strikes separating both sides in the season-opening match at the Awka City Stadium on September 30, 2023.
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Though the duo of Kalu Nweke and Austin Onyemaechi as well as Isaac Saviour, Kenneth Igboke, David Chimezie, Chiedozie Okorie, and Ifeanyi Ogba would be missing this fixture due to injuries and card accumulations, coach Ilechukwu would be having quality replacements in such players like Philip Clement, Kazeem Ogunleye, Naziru Auwalu, Edeh Kelechi, Chidiebere Nwobodo and a host of others that are determined to get the result in Gombe.
Rangers pride itself as one of the two best attacking sides in the league this season with twenty-seven goals scored. In contrast, Doma United has scored nineteen goals in twenty matches played thus far. This edge will spur the ‘Flying Antelopes’ into putting all on the table to annex its first win on the road against a young side under the tutelage of Akinade Onigbinde with captain and defense Trojan, Haruna Aliyu and his backline providing the cover for Kingdom Osayi who has been splendid between the sticks for the ‘Savannah Tigers’.
Captain of Rangers, Chukwudi Nwaodu said ahead of the fixture, “Doma United are a good side and we respect them for all they have been able to do this season. But, we are in Gombe to fight for the maximum points. We are determined to get good results in this encounter to steady us for our set target.”