Rangers’ Abdu Maikaba targets 2023 Federation Cup title after edging Plateau United

By Saheed Afolabi

Rangers International head coach, Abdu Maikaba has set his sight or focus on the Federation Cup title after defeating Plateau United 1-0 on Thursday.

A giveaway penalty in the 90th minute was enough for Godwin Obaje to score the important goal against Plateau United that sealed a Federation Cup final place for Enugu Rangers against Bendel Insurance.

The former Akwa United gaffer admitted that the hard-fought win against his former team gave him an incredible joy, stressing his desire to lift the trophy for the seventh time.

“I am a very happy man today after winning against my former team (Plateau United),” Maikaba told ACL Sports.

“It was a hard-fought battle. It can go either way but after our tactical change in the second half, we committed more of their defenders; in so doing we had a clear penalty call, which we converted almost in the 90th minute of play.

So, I will say congratulations to Rangers International Football Club. They are a very good side. A side that has stayed together for a long period of time and you can see the cohesion in their play.

“As I said earlier, we are in a very tough form, we resisted them right from the blast. They were creating chances, we were creating chances also, and in the end, we became victorious.

“We have come a long way and the expectation is to come out with the trophy as winners; Rangers have won this trophy six times, and I want to make it the seventh time as coach.”

The Federation Cup final will be an explosive tie between Rangers International and Bendel Insurance on the 18th of June in Asaba.