Rangers International head coach Ekeh Ekenedilichukwu has praised his players’ resilience after the Enugu-based side returned to Nigeria Premier Football League action with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Rivers United in Port Harcourt on Sunday, insisting that his team refused to allow adversity to derail their game plan.
The encounter marked Rangers’ first league outing since their painful elimination from the CAF Champions League, where they suffered a dramatic 3-0 defeat to MC Alger in the second leg in Algeria, surrendering a 2-0 advantage from the first leg in Abeokuta to crash out 3-2 on aggregate.
The continental disappointment represented a significant setback for the Flying Antelopes, who had appeared firmly in control of the tie after their impressive first-leg victory. However, they showed character in their return to domestic action, holding Rivers United to a draw despite playing the closing stages with 10 men.
Ekenedilichukwu described his players as ‘wounded lions’, acknowledging the challenges confronting the team while commending their collective determination to remain competitive.
“We play like wounded lions, and we want to heal ourselves. All these issues were not planned, even though we had a red card. But the technical team stood firm and strong to ensure the red card did not affect our game plan,” he said.
The Rangers boss acknowledged that his side had travelled to Port Harcourt with the ambition of securing maximum points but accepted the draw as a worthwhile outcome against one of the league’s strongest sides.
“We came here for the three points, but sometimes when you plan, things don’t work out as expected. You have to adapt to the situation.
“We planned to get three points, but we picked one. I wouldn’t say it is a bad result for us. Getting a point away from home against a team with home advantage is also a plus,” he added.
Rangers’ determination was tested further when goals from Rivers United’s M. Chijioke in the 18th minute and Godwin Obaje’s equaliser in the 54th minute left the contest finely balanced.
Obaje was subsequently sent off in the 71st minute, leaving Rangers to negotiate the closing stages with 10 men. However, the visitors held firm to secure a point from a difficult away fixture.
Finidi Concerned About Rivers United’s Finishing
Meanwhile, Rivers United head coach Finidi George admitted that his side needed to improve their finishing after failing to convert their goalscoring opportunities.
The former Super Eagles winger also acknowledged the impact of injuries on his selection options but maintained that the availability of trusted alternatives meant the team should still be capable of delivering.
“If we didn’t create chances, I would be worried. But we created chances; we didn’t take them,” Finidi said.
He identified goalscoring efficiency as a major area requiring attention and revealed that the technical crew would intensify finishing drills in training.
“We will go back and work on that because it is a major issue. We will work on our scoring abilities, with a lot of finishing drills to see how the players can fine-tune that aspect of their game.
“So, I’m not quite worried,” he added.
The result took both sides to 18 points, with Rivers United maintaining their position among the early title contenders and Rangers continuing their pursuit of a successful title defence.
For Rangers, the point represents an encouraging response to the disappointment in Algiers, although Ekenedilichukwu and his technical crew will be conscious that a strong domestic campaign remains essential following their premature departure from continental football.
The Flying Antelopes will next host Bendel Insurance on Wednesday, while Rivers United travel to face Sporting Lagos on Saturday.
Match facts: Rivers United 1-1 Rangers International
* Chijioke (18′) – Rivers United
* Godwin Obaje (54′) – Rangers
* Godwin Obaje sent off (71′)
