Ilechukwu hopeful as Rangers fly to Luanda today

Enyimba canvass support as team relocates to Uyo

Enugu Rangers coach, Fidelis Ilechukwu, has assured the Flying Antelopes’ fans that his team will battle with all they have to get a good result in Launda when they face Sagrada Esperanca this weekend.

Rangers defeated the Angola side 1-0 in Uyo on Friday, and need only a draw to qualify for the second round of the CAF Champions League.

The team, which left Enugu for Lagos yesterday, are expected to connect a direct flight to the Angolan capital today ahead of the game scheduled for Sunday.

The club said yesterday that only two players registered for the competition are injury doubts for this fixture, while others are fit for selection.

Looking ahead to a successful outing in Angola, Coach Ilechukwu said although he expects a very tough fight from Sagrada Esperanca, he is optimistic of success.

He said: “We are going to Luanda to play this encounter as a cup final. Our opponents are very technical and have fast players but we have done our homework on how to contain them and push our way into the group stage of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League 2024/2025. It will be a difficult match, but I am very optimistic of a positive result.”

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s representative in the CAF Confederation Cup, Enyimba of Aba have called on the country’s football fans in Uyo and the neighbouring cities to come out en masse to support their quest for victory over Etoile Filante of Burkina Faso this weekend.

Enyimba, whose stadium in Aba was dimmed unfit by CAF for the continental games, relocated to Uyo, yesterday, to familiarise themselves with the Akwa Ibom International Stadium and the people of Uyo.

Enyimba held the Burkinabe side to a goalless draw in the first leg of the tie in Bamako, Mali, where Etoile Filante chose as their home ground following the disqualification of the arena in Burkina Faso by CAF.

Looking ahead to Sunday’s game, Enyimba Coach, Yemi Olanrewaju, said the technical team was working round the clock to ensure that the players are in top shape for the task at hand.

“We want all our fans and lovers of Nigerian football to give us massive support and we promise to continue making the country proud,” Olanrewaju said.