Rangers International F.C of Enugu is keen on maintaining its newfound form that has stretched to three-match unbeaten when it trades tackles with fierce neighbors, Lobi Stars F.C of Makurdi in a delayed match day 6, NPFL 2023/2024 fixture scheduled for the Lafia City Stadium, Thursday, November 2, 2023.
Coach Fidelis Ilechukwu will most likely be banking on the squad that decimated Kano Pillars 4-1 over the weekend as the ‘Flying Antelopes’ targets the scalp of the Benue giants, ‘Shoe Get Size’ under coach Eugene Agagbe.
With the likes of Godwin Obaje, Chukwudi Nwaodu, Chidiebere Nwobodo and Isaac Savior finding their rhythm, it would be difficult to stop the high-flying Antelopes from stopping the home side that parades such players as Orji Kalu, Madu Christian, Kumaga Suur, Moses Tsehuan, Francis Odinaka, Stephen Eneji, Oko Onyedika, and Godwin Aloa.
Coach Ilechukwu, in a chat, described the encounter as one with a lot of intrigues and interest as his wards are determined to come out with a positive result to maintain their good start to the season and regain the bragging rights over the Makurdi-based side stressing, “We know what we want to achieve at every point in time as we work towards achieving our set target for the season. We are positive about the outcome of our game in Lafia. Everywhere is home for Rangers as we have worked on our players to understand that and play our style of football always with the aim of coming out unscratched. Lobi may have been on top in head-to-head contest but we want to turn the tide around starting from this encounter in Lafia.”
Also speaking, defense Trojan, David Chimezie, said ahead of the crunch encounter, “We are very confident going into this fixture as we have worked hard and prepared to get a result in Lafia. No doubt, Lobi is a good side and would come at us with everything they have to carry the day but with the level of motivation and determination in us, we shall come out with a good result. We will fight well and won’t let our fans down.”
The host, Lobi Stars F.C is enjoying a superior ratio of wins in the twenty-six official matches involving both sides with sixteen wins. At the same time, the ‘Flying Antelopes’ have ten wins with six encounters ending in a draw just as the eight-goal thriller in Awka in the 2021/2022 season where Rangers defeated Lobi by 5-3, being the highest score in a single match involving the two clubs.
With ten goals from five matches and conceding six in the process for Rangers and netting seven times and leaking five at the back for Lobi in the same number of matches, football fans of Lafia and its environs are assured of quality football display from the two former continental teams under young managers.
