Rangers’ CAF Champions League campaign ended in heartbreak as MC Alger scored three second half goals to win 3-0 and progress 3-2 on aggregate. The defeat leaves Nigeria without a club in the group stage.
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Nigerian champions Rangers have been eliminated from the CAF Champions League after a 3-0 defeat to MC Alger in the second leg of their second preliminary round tie in Algiers on Friday night. The Algerian champions progressed 3-2 on aggregate, wiping out Rangers’ 2-0 first-leg lead.
All three goals came in the second half. Rangers had defended resolutely in the first half, with goalkeeper Destiny Abuchi making two important saves, but MC Alger had 69% of the possession over the 90 minutes. Readers new to betting can see Bet9ja promotion code study guide.
Chahreddine Boukholda broke the deadlock in the 58th minute, heading home from close range at the back post after a corner was flicked on, to make it 2-1 on aggregate.
Abuchi appeared to have kept Rangers in control when he saved a penalty from Mohamed Bangoura in the 70th minute, with Rangers still leading 2-1 on aggregate.
Bangoura made amends six minutes from time, finishing well in the 84th minute to bring MC Alger level at 2-2 on aggregate. Soufiane Bayazid then scored from another corner in stoppage time, in the 90+3rd minute, to send the hosts through. New Bet9ja users can claim Bet9ja’s YOHAIG quick-start offer.
Rangers said on social media that “we fought valiantly and defended our hearts out,” and thanked every supporter who stood by the team.
It was a cruel repeat of history. MC Alger also beat Enugu Rangers 3-2 on aggregate in the 1976 African Cup of Champions Clubs semi-finals, and went on to win the title.
The exit leaves Nigeria without a club in the CAF Champions League group stage, after Rivers United went out in the first preliminary round. NPFL fans can still try Super9ja prediction picks this weekend.
Rangers did the hard part in the first leg, but a two-goal lead isn’t enough in Africa. The saved penalty kept the tie alive for 14 minutes, but Rangers could not turn defence into a second-half attack.
Rangers’ next game is a league match at Sporting Lagos on Saturday, October 24, at 4pm.
📌 Did You Know?
- The second leg was played at the Ali La Pointe Stadium in Algiers.
- Rangers’ first leg goalkeeper, Lucky Jimoh, was sent off in the 13th minute of the opening game in Abeokuta.
- Bangoura is a Guinea international, while Boukholda is a French forward.
- MC Alger played in the 2025/26 CAF Champions League group stage, beating Al Hilal Omdurman 2-1 in February 2026.
- Bold Sports described Rangers’ bid as an attempt to reach the group stage for the first time in 44 years.
