Euromatch NPFL chief operating officer Ayo Abdulrahman has urged Rangers to stay mentally ready for the CAF Champions League second leg at MC Alger on Friday. The Nigerian champions hold a 2-0 lead from the first leg.
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Euromatch NPFL chief operating officer Ayo Abdulrahman has urged Rangers to stay mentally prepared for their CAF Champions League second leg against MC Alger. The tie is a second preliminary round fixture, and the aggregate winner reaches the group stage.
Rangers lead 2-0 after the first leg. The return game is at the Stade Ali-Ammar in Douéra, Algeria, on Friday, October 23, with kickoff at 8pm Nigerian time. NPFL fans can also try the Super9ja jackpot challenge this week.
Abdulrahman warned the Nigerian champions to expect a tough contest, stressing concentration, determination and tactical discipline throughout the 90 minutes. “It’s not going to be a tea party,” he said, adding that the Algerians will give Rangers nothing for free.
He praised the players for showing determination to win despite being a man down in the first leg. The two-goal win, he said, was a fitting reward for the hard work of the players and the technical team.
Rangers goalkeeper Lucky Jimoh was sent off in the 13th minute at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta on Sunday, after fouling Zakaria Naidji as the last man. MC Alger also finished with 10 after Oussama Benhaoua picked up a second yellow card in the 51st minute. Rangers then scored twice late, through a Kenneth Igboke penalty and a solo goal from James Emo.
The cushion is real, but a 2-0 lead in Algeria can disappear quickly. Rangers will need to defend with discipline, as Abdulrahman said, and take any chance they get. New Bet9ja users can claim Bet9ja’s YOHAIG sign-up deal before Friday.
Rangers players and officials are expected to leave Nigeria for Algeria on Tuesday, ahead of Friday’s decisive game.
A place in the group stage is the prize. Rangers can afford to lose by a single goal, but a heavier defeat would put the tie in real danger.
Head coach Fidelis Ilechukwu will lead the team into Algeria. Readers can look at the Bet9ja promotion code rundown before the decisive night.
📌 Did You Know?
- Rangers have won the Nigerian league title nine times.
- In the 1976 African Cup of Champions Clubs semi-finals, MC Alger beat Enugu Rangers 3-2 on aggregate and went on to win the title.
- Rangers reached this round by beating AS Sobemap of Benin on penalties.
- The MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, where the first leg was played, is Rangers’ temporary home ground.
- MC Alger’s supporters filled one stand in Abeokuta, and Rangers have since petitioned CAF over alleged fan misconduct, according to Complete Sports.
- Daily Trust reported that the Nigerian champions are in pole position to reach the group stage for the first time.
