A late captain’s rescue act in Kano and a solo run against MC Alger are up for the club’s October award, and fans decide the winner on X.
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Rangers International have named the nominees for their October Goal of the Month award. Both goals came with something on the line, one in the NPFL and one in the CAF Champions League. Fans can vote through a poll on the club’s official X account.
Nwobodo’s Late Rescue In Kano
Captain Chidiebere Nwobodo is nominated for his strike in Rangers’ 2-2 draw with Barau FC at the Sani Abacha Stadium on October 11. The midfielder found the net with a powerful effort from the edge of the penalty area in stoppage time, after Barau had come from behind to lead 2-1.
That point mattered. It left the defending champions top of the NPFL table on 17 points from eight games, narrowly ahead of Rivers United.
Rangers’ next NPFL tests come on Wednesday, November 4, against Bendel Insurance, and on Sunday, November 8, against Kwara United, with both games kicking off at 4pm. Fans who enjoy forecasting those fixtures can try Bet9ja’s Super9ja predictor alongside the matches.
Emo’s Solo Run Against MC Alger
Winger James Emo is the other nominee, for his goal in the first leg of the CAF Champions League second preliminary round against Algerian champions MC Alger. The game was played on October 18 at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex in Abeokuta. Emo picked up the ball deep in his own half, ran all the way into the opposition box and finished calmly.
His 87th-minute strike came four minutes after Kenneth Igboke’s penalty, and it sealed a 2-0 win. Rangers had played most of the game with 10 men.
The goal now carries a bittersweet feel. MC Alger won the return leg 3-0 in Algiers on October 23 and went through 3-2 on aggregate, ending Rangers’ hopes of reaching the group stage.
The vote is a choice between a captain’s late rescue act and a winger’s individual brilliance. One saved a point in a title race, while the other briefly put a Nigerian champion in command of a continental tie. Before Kano, Rangers had also beaten Abia Warriors 3-1 and Warri Wolves 1-0, so fans have seen plenty of good moments this season. Readers who want to follow the NPFL race closely can learn how to claim your Bet9ja bonus.
Bendel Insurance beat Barau 4-1 on October 4, a reminder that Rangers’ next opponents can score freely. Fidelis Ilechukwu’s side will want to keep its unbeaten run alive, as Nwobodo’s late goal did in Kano.
Whichever goal wins the poll, both nominees showed the fighting spirit that has defined this Rangers team. New Bet9ja users can also check Bet9ja’s YOHAIG welcome bonus before the next round of NPFL games.
📌 Did You Know?
- Rangers’ 2-0 win over MC Alger repeated the exact scoreline of the first leg of their 1976 African Cup of Champions Clubs semi-final.
- Both sides finished the Abeokuta game with 10 players, after MC Alger had a man sent off in the 52nd minute.
- Rangers reached the MC Alger tie after scoring only twice across their two preliminary-round matches against Sobemap.
- The draw at Barau extended the Kano side’s winless run to three straight games.
- Rangers won the 2025/26 NPFL on 68 points, one clear of Rivers United on 67.
