By Dayo Awoniyi
Chiedozie Jude Okorie’s 65th-minute goal propelled Rangers International FC into the Round of 32 of the 2025 President Federation Cup, securing a 1-0 victory over Kano Pillars at the Bwari Township Stadium on Tuesday.
With head coach Fidelis Ilechukwu away on international duty, chief coach Ekeh Ekenedilichukwu led the team to victory, fielding a largely unchanged lineup from their recent NPFL win over Kwara United.
The match was evenly contested in the first half, with both teams showcasing impressive goalkeeping displays. However, Rangers turned up the pressure in the second half, with Okorie and substitute Kingsley Maduforo forming a potent attacking duo.
Okorie capitalized on a defensive mix-up to score the decisive goal, easily finishing after Maduforo’s skillful run and cross created confusion between Kano Pillars’ goalkeeper and defenders.
Rangers nearly doubled their lead in the 79th minute, but Kano Pillars goalkeeper Abuchi Okeke produced a brilliant save to deny Maduforo.
Coach Ekeh Ekenedilichukwu expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, stating, “This is a fantastic result, a perfect response to our league defeats against Kano Pillars. This victory provides a significant morale boost as we pursue success in the Federation Cup and the remainder of the league season.”
Rangers will now face Nasarawa United in a rearranged NPFL Matchday 30 fixture on Friday, March 21, 2025, at the Lafia City Stadium.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
