Rangers dim Yobe Desert Stars grand style

The match Day 15 NPFL encounter inside a half full Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium between seven-time champions, Rangers International and debutants in the top flight of Nigeria league, Yobe Desert Stars lived up to its hypes as it produced three great goals that left the fans in joyous mood.

Coach Olugbenga Ogunbote wards were truely at home in this fixture as two first half goals and a late strike towards the end of the encounter condemned the visiting side to another defeat on the road this term.

Fleet footed, Ajani Ibrahim was the hero of the day as his two well taken goals on 25 and 43 minutes as well as Bright Silas’ 85^th minute sublime strike annexed all three points at stake and presented a well packaged birthday gift to the G.M/CEO of Rangers, Prince Davidson Owumi, who turned 58 years on match day.

Ajani met with a Kelvin Itoya’ defence splitting pass with devastating perfection to send the ball past hapless Itodo Akor who featured last season for the ‘Flying Antelopes’ while a momentary loss of concentration by the visitos’ backline who failed to clear their lines gifted Ajani the chance to stab home his second for the day.

It was not a one-way traffic as the visitors did create chances of their own but goalkeeper, Nana Bonsu was equal to the task as he clutched, punched, parried all that was thrown at him especially at the half hour mark when Basher Azado’ fierce shot from the edge of the box was calmly clutched by the Ghanaian shot stopper.

Bonsu was quickly off his line two minutes later to stop a goal bound move while Itodo Akor produced a spectacular save off an Ajani Ibrahim’ pile-drive from the edge of the box to keep his team in the game a few minutes later.

The long throws of the visitors’ right-back, Manika Usman, really caused some anxious moment for the hosts but Rangers skipper, Okey Odita’ led back line stood their ground and rebuffed all attacks.

Two more glaring chances was wasted by Ifeanyi George and two goals hero, Ajani Ibrahim in the middle of the second stanza that would have made the score line more embarrassing for the visitors.

Bright Silas rose to the occasion with only five minutes left on the clock as he superbly turked away a fine move that was initiated by speed star, Richard Jonathan from the right flank whose interlligent cut-back found Chiamaka Madu who extended it to Ajani Ibrahim that released a pass to unmarked Silas to dribble past returning  defenders of the visitors before unleashing a thunderous shot that sailed gracefully into the net for the third goal of the evening.

Tried as much as they could, the trio of Philip Asuquo, Basher Azado and Chidiebere Ajoku for the visitors could not break the resolute defending of the host.

Coach Olugbenga Ogunbote in his post match chat said, “We are slowly but steadily getting to the level we desire to be and I am very glad with the result today. It can only get better going forward. Yobe did their best today but I believe we were better in our conversion rate today. Also, I believe that our G.M’ birthday that happened to be on match day made the players go all out for this win as  a worthy present to him.”

Yobe Desert Stars gaffer, coach Mohammed Baba Ganaru said after the match, “This was not our day in the office. We made tactical errors and got punished dearly. We shall go back and work properly on the lapses and get back to winning ways as soon as possible. Also, our long travel of more than 1000 kilometres did not help matters.”

Itodo Akor, who stood between the sticks for the premier league debutants said, “It was a bad loss but we gave a good account of ourselves. There is still much to play for as we hope to overcome this defeat and focus on the coming matches. Personally, I would have loved to leave Enugu with a better result but that is not the case.”

RANGERS TEAM: Nana Bonsu, Tope Olusesi, Isaac Loute, Christian Madu, Okey Odita, Chibuzor Madu, Bright Silas, Ajani Ibrahim, Ifeanyi George –Richard Jonathan 54^th min.), Ugonna Anyora –Chiamaka Madu- 82^nd min.), Kelvin Itoya – Ebuka Okeke -88^th Min.). SUBS NOT USED: Femi Thomas, Pape Ousmane, Adun Osamudiamwen, Abu Azeez.

GOALS: Ajani Ibrahim – 25 and 43 minutes, Bright Silas -85^th minutes.

YOBE DESERT STARS TEAM: Itodo Akor, Manika Usman, Agwaza Daniel –(Buhari Musa -29^th min.), Solomon Babatunde, Nnaemeka Anyanwu, Osita Echendu –(Ismail Bagayan -49^th min.), Ali Aliyu, Mustapha Musa, Basher Azado –(Jerome Philip -80^th min.), Philip Asuquo, Chidiebere Ajoku. SUBS NOT USED: Ahmed Yusuf, Ali Yusuf, James Odeli, Zayyad Musa.

REFEREE: Ferdinand Udoh C. – Akwa-Ibom.