Rangers campaign in danger as team blows 2-0 lead

Their fans were already dreaming of how their darling team would go to Ndola to make good their qualification for the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup. At the 70th minute, the Enugu Rangers’ faithful felt the points were safe in the bag. They wanted their team to take it easy and go for the kill if the opportunity came their way. But they were in for a rude awakening. The match ended 2-2 at the end of the day.

Rangers came out of the blocks firing on all cylinders with Osas Okoro leading the charge. The Flying Antelopes got the opening goal through a penalty kick tucked home by Christian Madu and made it 2-0 in the 46th minute through Osas Okoro. At this stage, the fans were dreaming of a goal feast that would see their team qualifying for the next round of the competition. But Zesco had different ideas.

The Zambians, who got to the semifinals of the CAF Champions League last season, changed the tide of the game on resumption for the second half, but Rangers held their own. That was until the 72nd when Zesco’s David Owino reduced the tally.

Shocked by the way the game was going, Rangers supporters added their voice to their boys’ play, urging them to keep going. But they were hit by a thunderbolt in the 76th minute when Zesco striker, Patrick Kongolo scored the equalizer to make the task difficult for the Enugu team.

Rangers can still qualify for the next round of the competition if they beat Zesco on April 15 at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola. But the Zambians need only a 0-0 draw to qualify for May’s group stage of the competition.

Yesterday’s draw was Zesco’s first against a Nigerian team, having lost on two previous visits to Kano Pillars and Warri Wolves.