EuroMatch NPFL: Ilechukwu Unhappy Despite Rangers’ Last-Gasp Draw Against Katsina United

Rangers International head coach Fidelis Ilechukwu expressed his disappointment with his team’s performance after the Flying Antelopes were held to a 1-1 draw by Katsina United in their opening Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) fixture.

Sports247 reports that Rangers rescued a point with a late equaliser in a match Ilechukwu admitted did not go according to the team’s preparations.

Despite his frustration with the overall performance, the coach described the last-minute goal as being as valuable as three points.

“Yeah, I am not happy, but getting the last-minute goal was like three points to us,” Ilechukwu said after the encounter.

The Rangers boss acknowledged that his side failed to produce the performance they had worked towards during preparations, insisting that the team must quickly regroup with their attention now turning to the CAF Champions League.

“This is not what we prepared for. We didn’t do well. We need to regroup ahead of the CAF Champions League,” he stated.

The opening fixture also marked an important occasion for Rangers in Abeokuta, where the club received strong support from the fans. Ilechukwu expressed his appreciation for the reception, admitting that the level of support exceeded his expectations.

“I think Abeokuta is okay. I thank the fans. I didn’t believe the fans will be that massive right from the training to the opening match. We were welcomed well,” he said.

While praising the supporters, the coach took responsibility for the shortcomings on the pitch, stressing that the mistakes were entirely down to his team.

“All errors are from the team,” he added.

Ilechukwu also acknowledged the improvement in Rangers’ performance after the interval, noting that the second half was considerably better than the opening 45 minutes.

“The lone goal is for the fans. The second half of the game was better than the first half,” he explained.

The coach further revealed that preparations had generally gone smoothly apart from an injury to the team captain shortly before the league opener.

“Everything was perfect, apart from the team captain who got injured before the league opener,” Ilechukwu said.

The draw leaves Rangers with one point from their opening NPFL encounter, but Ilechukwu will be hoping the late escape serves as a wake-up call as the Enugu-based side prepares for the demands of continental football.