Sports
Rangers Still In Hunt For Federation Cup Honours
An 80th-minute strike from mercurial attacking midfielder, Chidiebere Nwobodo ensured that the chase for a seventh championship triumph of the oldest club competition in the country is kept alive by the ‘Flying Antelopes’, Rangers International F.C after a dominant display over Doma United F.C in a quarter-final, Federation Cup 2023 encounter.
The encounter which took place inside the Akure Township Stadium saw coach Abdul Maikaba tutored side taking command of the match from the blast of the referee’s whistle signaling the start of hostilities with the trio of Austin Onyemaechi, Shedrack Asiegbu, and Chidiebere Nwobodo showing dominance in the middle of the pack.
Opportunities came and went for the Enugu side as the backline of the ‘Savanah Tigers’ soaked in all the pressures while goalkeeper, Osayi Kingdom was alert to keep out three great chances on 18, 34, and 44 minutes as their arrow man in attack, Charles Chibuike was practically policed by the duo of Uche John and Ebuka Anthony to perfection.
After ending the first stanza on a high, the players returned much determined to carry the day as they continued to search for the game’s opening goal which failed to come until the last ten minutes of the match when Nwobodo in his devastating form connected home a Philp Clement’s inch-perfect cross that hit the upright before nestling in the net with Osayi rooted to a spot.
The introduction of Samuel Pam, Chukwudi Nwaodu, Obinna Idika, and Kingsley Maduforo by the coaching crew at some stages of the contest, to a very large extent, helped in putting the visitors on the back foot for the most part of the second half to help Rangers pick a Semi-final ticket, the first since its last triumph in the now famous, ‘Asaba Miracle’ in 2018 and will have to navigate past the ‘Tin City’ side, Plateau United that defeated Kwara United 1-0 at a venue and date yet to be announced by the organizers, NFF.
An elated coach Abdul Maikaba said in a post-match chat, “It was a good game against a determined and difficult opponent but we stuck to our game plan which gave us the desired victory and a ticket to the semi-finals of the competition. We shall continue to build on the newfound form of the team and work towards being crowned the Federation Cup champions for this year. We are prepared to face any side and fear no foe but respect every team.”
A well-known football pundit in the State, Chief Christopher Okonkwo has lauded the efforts and vision of the Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle for going from one venue of the Nigeria Domestic Nigeria Professional Football League match to the other in monitoring Nigerian players, with a view to invite some exceptional good one discovered into the main stream of the Super Eagles team.
Okonkwo, who made the commendation in an interview at the Port Harcourt Club recently, described the positive move by Coach Chelle as a good step in the right direction, noting that the practice was how its been done in the past among any contracted coach assigned to tinker the Super Eagles team.
“Truly, it has been an old tradition in the country seeing any newly engaged Coach to lead the National team, visiting some our Nigeria League venues during the league matches to spot light some good talents that could be used to beef up some grey areas in the department of Eagles team”
He, however, frowned at the current situation where our coaches had continously been over depending on the use of foreign based players during invitation of players to the National camp, thereby, relegating the domestic home based league players to the background as if they have nothing much to offer to the team.
“I can vividly recall that the likes of great players in the mode of Finidi George, Taribo West, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Richard Owobokiri, Emmanuel Osuigwe among others started from Nigeria football league before they graduated to play in Europe through which they later invited to Super Eagles camp to represent Nigeria”
“Besides, I’m also of the view that going to secondary school football competitive games could equally serves as a a good platform to discover budding talents that could be nurtured to become great stars in near future”, Okonkwo frankly added.
Okonkwo, therefore, prayed that any football coach to be engaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to tinker the Super Eagles should be told not to confine himself in staying in big hotel alone but to be visiting some of our local league match venues, with a view to discover some good players that can be drafted into the Super Eagles team.
“Indeed, I stand to be challenged that there some young good players in the Nigeria Professional League. If spotted and exposed, could give the some of the invited foreign based players a stiff competitive fight in securing a postion in the team”, Okonkwo emphatically stated.
Ezechukwu, one of the youngest members of the Nigerian contingent at the championship in Ghana, said her ambition was to win the 100m title in style and cap it with a new personal record.
The fresh secondary school graduate explained that she is fully focused on contributing to Team Nigeria’s medal hopes and is determined to deliver strong performances across her events.
“My main objective in Ghana is to clinch the 100m title and the 4×100m,” Ezechukwu told Tidesports source.
“Nigeria can be assured of my very best and my commitment to the Team. I would love to set a new personal best in Ghana, but anything that comes, I will take it. The spirit in the team is high, and I think we are ready to go,” she said.
Ezechukwu, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay squad at the World Relays in Botswana, said the experience gained from that competition has strengthened her mindset heading into the continental championships.
She admitted that she learned valuable lessons from her previous outing, including a difficult moment during the relay where an early error affected the team’s rhythm, but said she has used the experience to improve her discipline and composure.
“The secret is just being disciplined, training hard and trusting my coach and believing in God, and the result will show,” she added.
The teenager is part of a 41-member Nigerian team comprising 24 female and 17 male athletes competing at the championships, which begin today at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Nigeria are expected to compete across multiple track and field events as they aim for a strong finish against the continent’s elite athletes.
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