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Rangers boss Ilechukwu confident of Champions League response after opening-day draw
Rangers International head coach Fidelis Ilechukwu has backed his players to respond quickly to their disappointing start to the NPFL title defence when they begin their CAF Champions League campaign against Benin champions AS Sobemap.
Rangers were held to a 1-1 draw by Katsina United at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta on Sunday, conceding control of the match before a dramatic 97th-minute equaliser rescued a point for the champions.
The result was a frustrating one for Ilechukwu’s side, who created several chances but were unable to make them count until late in the game. Their leveller was helped by a mistake from the Katsina United goalkeeper, sparing Rangers the possibility of losing their opening league fixture.
The Enugu-based club will have little time to reflect on the draw, with the first leg of their CAF Champions League first preliminary-round tie against AS Sobemap scheduled for 6 September at the MKO Abiola Stadium. Kick-off is set for 16:00 WAT.
Ilechukwu acknowledged that the result against Katsina United fell short of the team’s expectations, but he played down comparisons with previous Rangers title-winning seasons in which the club also failed to win its opening fixture.
The Rangers head coach also explained his decision to make four substitutions at the same time during Sunday’s match. He admitted that the team had not been able to produce the attacking combinations he wanted, prompting him to make changes in an attempt to improve their threat in the final third.
Ilechukwu, who is also an assistant coach of the Super Eagles, believes the Champions League provides an immediate opportunity for Rangers to put the domestic setback behind them. His players will need to show greater attacking efficiency against AS Sobemap, who will arrive as the champions of Benin rather than as inexperienced opponents.
AS Sobemap will be seeking to make an impression against Rangers, nine-time NPFL winners, in what will be a significant continental test for the Beninese club.
Rangers can draw on their own experience of African competition and will be expected to use that knowledge as they attempt to negotiate the opening preliminary round. Progress would take them a step closer to the group stage and maintain their hopes of making a strong return to the continental competition.
Rangers general manager Amobi Ezeaku has also called on supporters to give the team their backing ahead of the tie. He stressed that the club would continue to meet its domestic obligations despite the importance of the CAF Champions League campaign.
The winners of the two-legged contest will reach the second preliminary round, where they will face the winners of the corresponding ASN Nigelec-MC Alger tie.
CAF has confirmed that victory in the first round will therefore bring the successful club closer to a place in the group stage. For Rangers, the immediate task is to recover from the frustration of their late draw with Katsina United and produce a more convincing performance in Abeokuta.
