Rangers International FC of Enugu on Wednesday defeated visiting Kano Pillars FC 2-0 in the Nigeria Professional football (NPFL) match day 34.
Christian Nnaji opened the scoring for the home team when he noded home a corner kick by Tope Olusesi in the 5th minute.
Esor Archiving made it 2-0 for Rangers FC in the 29th minute before the interval.
Kano Pillars took the game to the home team forcing goalkeeper, Nana Bonsu, to receive a red card for handling the ball outside his box in the 60th minute.
Emmanuel Anyawu also received his matching orders for two bookable offences in the 88th minute.
Speaking after the match, Kano Pillars’ technical adviser, Ibrahim Musa, said the match was a tough one for his team.
“We lost to a good team but that will not deter us in any way from chasing the league trophy.
“There are four matches to go for in the league and we have two home, two away but the matches are all away for us.
“It is not yet over until it is over as the loss against Rangers International is just a delay and not target denied,” he said.
Salisu Yusuf, Rangers FC’s technical adviser, praised his players for playing to instructions and noted that the win would serve as a moral booster for their remaining matches.
“The job is not yet done because we have a target and until the target is actualised, we will not rest.
“Though, the point against Kano Pillars is a good one but our major task is to get the points against Adamawa United in our next match.
“Ones we get the three points against Adamawa, we will be in a better position to achieve one of our targets for the season,” Yusuf said.
Yusuf said his team’s early goal helped to unsettle their visitor and gave his players much confidence in the match.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Rangers FC moved a step to the sixth position on the log with 55 points, while Kano Pillars remain third with 58 points after 34 matches. (NAN
