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Joe Apu
Nigeria’s hopefuls in the 2018/2019 Total/CAF Confederation Cup, Rangers International F.C of Enugu, is in high spirits ahead of their opening group stage of the competition against visiting Burkina-Faso side Salitas F.C.
Rangers, who are seven time Nigerian league champions, have the first group stage match at the ‘The Cathedral’, Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu with kickoff billed for 14:00 hours (2:00 pm). The encounter will be handled by FIFA World Cup referee, Bakary Papa Gasama from Gambia.
After going six matches without a loss in the run up to the group stage of the competition with five wins and a draw, Rangers tutored by coach Olugbenga Ogunbote has all it takes to kick start the group stage challenge on a good note against surprise team of the competition, Salitas, that was formed barely five years back (2014).
With pint-sized, Bright Silas; Ajani Ibrahim and Aguda Godwin at their imperious best, the chants of ‘Holy!! Holy!!! Holy!!!!, Enugu Rangers is another champion!!!!!’ is expected to rent the air waves at the end of the encounter expected to be watched by a capacity crowd.
Coach Ogunbote who expressed concerns over the change in time by CAF is full of optimism of overcoming any challenge in the form of Salitas F.C stressing, “If there was anything I could have done, it would be to change the time for the match but it is beyond the club management as it has been fixed by the organizers and we have to play our usual game with victory for a good start in our minds.”
The young visitors under the tutelage of coach Coulibaly Ladji would be ruing the absence of their inspirational skipper, pint-sized, Barro Youssouf Bagbeba, who is suspended for this tie but would hope that Zagre Ismael, Traore Abass, Badolo Cedric and To-Elisee Demankel come up with their ‘A’ game to contain the host’ fine form.
