The management of NPFL seven-time champions, Rangers International F.C under the leadership of Barrister Amobi Ezeaku, over the weekend, before commencing training sessions at the newly relayed playing turf of the Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium, Enugu, dedicated the facility to God with a Catholic clergy taking charge.

The event which had the honorable commissioner for Youth and Sports, Barrister Lloyd Ekweremadu, in attendance, also had players, coaches, backroom staff, and a few supporters of the club, saw Rev. Fr. Augustine Ewulu, ministering and calling on the heavenly beings to take full charge of the edifice as the ‘Flying Antelopes’ begin prosecuting the matches at ‘The Cathedral’.

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Before the dedication session, Ezeaku charged the players to take every match at the stadium as a cup final to achieve the club’s set targets for the season, stressing, “We all know what is at stake in this season’s league and cup matches. The trophies remain our targets. So, as we return home to our ‘Cathedral’, we need to be on top of our games at all times, and what we are doing today, is to call on the God that we serve to bless our efforts on this pitch just as we thank the government of H.E, Dr. Peter Mbah, governor of Enugu state, for doing the needful to have us return to Enugu. This is the first step towards getting the needed divine support.”

Also speaking, Barrister Ekweremadu, said, “We are glad that we have been able to complete this project as promised by our sports-loving governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, and dedicating the use to God is very apt. With this, I am sure that the sports-loving people of Enugu state will now have a place to watch and support our darling team, Rangers, and return more business activities to Enugu state.”

Rangers will commence the use of the turf with a top-of-the-bill fixture against eternal rivals, Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan in a re-arranged match day 16, NPFL 2023/2024 fixture on Thursday, December 28, 2023.

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RANGERS DEDICATE RE-GRASSED N.A.S

The management of Rangers International F.C, under Barrister Amobi Ezeaku, has received the big support of the architect of Nigeria’s first Indigenous Mine Resistant, Ambush Protected Armored Carrier, Major General Victor Ezugwu (Rtd), who paid a visit to the club’s newly renovated corporate headquarters, recently.

The former G.O.C, 7 Division, Maiduguri, and Director General of DICON in his brief speech on the visit, congratulated the young club boss for his appointment describing him as a square peg in a square hole, charging the G.M/CEO to bring out all in his arsenal to take Rangers back to the heights of best footballing clubs not only in Nigeria but within the continent and the world.

“I was very glad when I heard of your appointment by the Enugu state governor, Dr. Peter Mbah. This is a call to service for you and all that are working with you and I charge you to always be at your best as I have always known you to be and take Rangers to where it rightly belongs. With all the experiences at your disposal coupled with the contacts you have, success is a sure bet for you and your management team. Make your decisions based on Godly principles and you will see the hand of God in this position that has been handed to you. Congratulations,” stated the retired military general.

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Speaking earlier while welcoming the Army General to his office, Rangers CEO, Barrister Amobi Ezeaku, thanked the retired general whom he calls ‘Father’ for finding time out of his ever-busy schedule to visit him and give him words of encouragement, stressing, “Sir, I must thank you immensely for all your fatherly words ever since I got to know you and also, for finding time out of your ever busy schedule to pay us this visit. It is a big privilege and we, at Rangers, shall do all in our power to ensure that we take the club to the highest level of club football. We shall not disappoint you and others like you who talk, think, sleep, and wake up with good thoughts for our darling club, Rangers. We also congratulate you on your gracious retirement from service after meritoriously serving your fatherland as we hope to continue tapping into your rich reservoir of knowledge.”

Present at the visit was the administrative secretary of Rangers, Barrister Ferdinand Ugwuarua, and other top management staff.   

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GEN. EZUGWU DRUM SUPPORT FOR RANGERS.

Coach Fidelis Ilechukwu and his wards have their eyes set for the maximum points at stake as the ‘Flying Antelopes’, Rangers International F.C of Enugu return to its hallowed ground, Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, ‘The Cathedral’ for the rearranged match day 16, NPFL 2023/2024 fixture against old rivals, Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan on Thursday, December 28, 2023.

Having re-discovered its winning formula after a few weeks of glitch, the Nnewi born tactician is positive going into this fixture against coach Olugbenga Ogunbote and his ‘Oluyole Warriors’ gang from the industrial city of Ibadan.

Smarting from a heartwarming 1-1 draw in Aba against oriental rivals, Enyimba, coach Ilechukwu and his lieutenants are not leaving anything to chance as they continued the build up to this fixture against an old rival in a newly laid pitch with high optimism.

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Speaking ahead of the match, coach Ilechukwu said, “It will be a tough match but we have prepared well to earn a deserved win. No disrespect to our opponent, they are a quality side with an experienced coach, but we have our work cut out and we shall get the job done by the grace of God. Playing before our home fans will be an added advantage and we believe it will count in our favor on Thursday.”

Going into this fixture the form guide for Rangers was D,W,L,L,L while that of the opponents was L,D,L,D,L even when both sides are blessed with quality mix of youth and experienced players that will keep fans yelling for more as was the case in 1977 in Kaduna in the second leg of the semi-final of CAF Cup Winners Cup encounter.

Since 2009, both sides have met sixteen times with each grabbing five wins apiece with six encounters ending in a draw.

Rangers prides itself as the second most lethal attack in the season thus far with nineteen goals scored as against seventeen scored by the visiting, 3SC just as the Enugu side currently occupy the 9th spot of the log with nineteen points and a game in hand while the Ibadan side is a spot below with same number of points but an inferior goals aggregate.

Supporters of Rangers and football fans in Enugu are expected to troop out in their numbers to watch this titanic soccer battle between two traditional clubs as two of the most decorated and oldest clubs in the country take center stage at ‘The Cathedral’ that has been starved of actions for over two and a half season with the gates thrown open on the directive of the executive governor of Enugu state, H.E, Dr. Peter Mbah.

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RANGERS TARGET MAXIMUM POINT AS 3SC VISIT ENUGU

It was another great day in the office for coach Fidelis Ilechukwu and his wards as the ‘Flying Antelopes’, Rangers International F.C returned to its hallowed ground, Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, after over two and a half seasons, to dispatch hard-fighting, ‘Oluyole Warriors’, Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan, 2-0 in a re-arranged match day 16, NPFL 2023/2024 fixture to end the year on a winning note.

Coach Ilechukwu kept faith with the match day squad that earned a draw in Aba, over a week ago, except for the duo of Kingsley Maduforo and Leonard Ugochukwu, and it was a smooth start for the Enugu side with their 4-3-3 formation that pushed the visitors back into their defensive shells.

Goalkeeper, Darlington Ovunda, produced some heroic moments to deny the game early goals as he punched, blocked, and parried all that was aimed at his goal, especially in 23 and 24 minutes when he produced two great saves to stop Kenechukwu Agu’s efforts from going in. Still, he could do little to prevent Kalu Nweke’ connecting header off a well-weighted Kenechukwu Agu’s cross in 27 minutes to send the home fans that thronged ‘The Cathedral’ in their tens of thousands into rapturous celebrations.

Godwin Obaje had another opportunity to punish the visitors 40 minutes further but he took too much time on the ball for the retrieving defense to chook him out for space in a rare counter-attacking move by the home side.

In the second stanza, injury to Kenechukwu Agu saw the introduction of Kazeem Ogunleye as Odoh Joel also took the place of Onyemaechi Austin on 63 minutes and stability was restored to the home side’s play in the middle of the pack as the visitors seemed to show some dominance with the introduction of Pyagbara Dumte, Ayobami Abiodun and Kareem Ademola.

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Odoh Joel failed to make it count on 68 minutes after he was set through on goal by Kazeem’s sublime pass just as Obaje failed to connect home on 71 minutes as an Odoh pass found him with the yawning net at his mercy.

Substitute, Okorie Chiedozie, put the icing on the cake 87 minutes after he dribbled his way past two markers to curl in a shot that may be a contender for goal of the season, past Ovunda for the second goal of the encounter and his first premiership strike to send the packed stands in wild jubilations.

Coach Fidelis Ilechukwu said after the match, “It was a good match with a good result against a quality side. We expected a tough match and that is what we got on our first match before our loyal fans and supporters in over two and a half seasons. Our first half was top notch but we slowed down a bit in the second giving our opponent the opportunity to come out and fight but with the second goal, and others that we missed, I give my boys a thumbs up. No doubt, the pitch that was newly relaid did not give my players the perfect place to do their thing, I must thank the Enugu state government for ensuring that we return to Enugu and play before our fans whom we appreciate for always standing by us.”

Kalu Nweke who scored the club’s first goal for the season as well as the first in the newly renovated pitch of ‘The Cathedral’, said, “I am indeed happy that we got the maximum points today against 3SC and for the goal I scored, it was a team effort and we hope to continue this way until we realize our set target for the season.”

With the victory, Rangers now have twenty-two points from fifteen matches and still occupy the 9th spot on the twenty-team log. They will next play Bendel Insurance F.C. at the Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin-City in a match day 17 fixture.

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RANGERS RETURN TO N.A.S, STOP SHOOTING STARS

The ‘Flying Antelopes’, Rangers International F.C of Enugu will on Saturday afternoon, January 6, 2024, look to continue its rich vein of form in the 2023/2024 NPFL season as it storms the ancient city of Benin to challenge for the maximum points at stake against the host, Bendel Insurance F.C for a perfect start to the new year, 2024.

The magnificent, Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia Stadium in Ogbe quarters will be the venue for this soccer battle that has a legendary status going by what both sides have been able to achieve for themselves in time past.

Since the return of the ‘Benin Arsenals to the top rank of the Nigerian league under coach Monday Odigie, they have displayed a lot of guts in reminding football followers of what they used to be in the latter part of last century while the ‘Flying Antelopes’ that prides itself as the only club not to have tested relegation in almost fifty-four years of its existence, is still pushing towards achieving its set targets for the season.

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After going on a three-match losing streak, the coach Fidelis Ilechukwu tutored side have turned the difficult bend and are on the upward thrust with two home wins and a draw on the road against league’s defending champions, Enyimba while age-long rivals, Insurance have made their home ground a fortress with the only glitch been the 2-2 draw earned by Kwara United in November of last year.

Rangers pride itself as the second-best attacking side in the ongoing season having notched up twenty-one goals (ten more than their opponents) but a leaky defense line that has been breached sixteen times as against eight by Insurance, makes this encounter mouth-watering coupled with added monetary incentive coming from Rangers’ major shirt sponsor, Afrinvest.

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In the last five league matches, Rangers’ form reads thus; W,D,W,L,L while that of Bendel Insurance runs thus; D,W,L,W,L and the Enugu side will be banking on the new found form that saw it dispatch another ach-rival, 3SC of Ibadan 2-0 in their last fixture hoping that the likes of Chukwudi Nwaodu, Jonas Emmanuel, Kalu Nweke, Frank Uwumiro, Chiedozie Okorie, and kid-dynamit, Kelechukwu Edeh finds their ranges against a mean defense line with goalkeeper and captain, Amas Obasogie as the last man in the line of defense, just as the backline of Rangers would be weary of the trickery of Ismail Sarki, Chisom Okereke, Junior Osaghae, Austin Ogunye, Divine Nwachukwu, and Evans Ogbonda.

With the loss of last year’s Aiteo Cup still fresh in the minds of Rangers supporters all around the globe, the current crop of players is fired up to ensure that the upward movement enjoyed now is maintained as they push for a top finish in the season.

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RANGERS STORM BENIN, SEEK INSURANCE’ SCALP

Technical adviser of Rangers International F.C, Coach Fidelis Ilechukwu, has assured the club’s numerous supporters that the team will soon get back to winning ways after dropping all points at stake in a match day 17, NPFL 2023/2024 fixture against eternal rivals, Bendel Insurance F.C inside Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, over the weekend.

Coach Ilechukwu while fielding questions from sports reporters after a 2-0 loss to the ‘Benin Arsenals’, said that the loss was avoidable going by the level of preparation going into the match but some mistakes from his backline put paid to all the expectations.

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“Football has come to show that no team is a small team. We came to Benin with full optimism to get an excellent result but we failed to achieve our set targets. We lost and returned home to prepare for our next match and others for a winning return. It has been a challenging season but we are working hard to ensure that we rediscover our winning formula,” said the highly respected tactician.

Two goals in either half off the head and feet of Junior Osaghae and Ismail Sarki on 15 and 60 minutes of the highly entertaining encounter condemned the ‘Flying Antelopes’ to its sixth loss of the season despite starting the encounter on a high with a dominant midfield display but missed glaring opportunities that were created as the goalkeeper for the Benin side, Amas Obasogie proving his worth between the sticks.

Injury to midfield maestro, Kalu Nweke, a few minutes after the half-hour mark, meant that coach Ilechukwu had to rejig his match plan from a 4-4-2 to a 4-3-3 formation which pushed the home side back for the later part of the first half. Still, Okorie Chiedozie, Obaje Godwin, and Kazeem Ogunleye all were presented with opportunities that went begging.

At the hour mark, a defensive mix-up gifted the home side the second goal which put paid to any come-back performance due largely to the excellent display from Obasogie who refused to concede from Jonas Emmanuel, Odoh Joel, and Chidiebere Nwobodo.

Rangers maintain the 9th spot on the twenty teams log with 22 points from 16 matches and will next engage Gombe United in a match day 18 fixture of the 2023/2024 NPFL fixture on Sunday, January 14, 2024, inside the main bowl of Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium ‘The Cathedral’, Enugu.  

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WE SHALL GET BACK TO WINNING WAYS SOON – ILECHUKWU

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Plateau United

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Rangers...FC 

Rangers Int'l Vs Plateau United

Whether you're a fan of the classic designs or appreciate the modern twists, Rangers' football kits are more than just uniforms; they're symbols of a footballing legacy that continues to shine brightly. So, here's to the past, present, and future of Rangers FC. 

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Home jersey 

The primary color, of course, is that bold and unmistakable shade of red. It's more than just a color; it's a symbol of passion, determination, and the fighting spirit that characterizes the team. The red hue dominates the jersey, creating a striking visual impact on the pitch.

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