NPFL: ENUGU RANGERS BEAT RIVERS UNITED 1 – 0

ENUGU, Nigeria – Kelvin Itoya’s well-struck effort on the hour proved decisive as Enugu Rangers beat Rivers United 1-0 in a Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) contest decided at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu on Thursday.

Itoya played a one-two with Godwin Aguda before latching onto the latter’s deft pass and rifling past a helpless Sunday Rotimi in the United goal to send the home faithful into raptures. It was the least Rangers deserved for a second half of intent after they came off second best in a first half bossed largely by the visitors.

Itoya could have opened the scoring inside 45 seconds when he headed straight at Rotimi from eight yards after winger, Bright Silas completely carved open the Rivers United right hand channel before delivering an inch-perfect cross.

The visitors then took over, dictating the pace for the majority of the first stanza with Daniel Israel coming closest to breaking the deadlock with a header, off a corner kick, that Thomas did well to save. Rangers stepped on the accelerator after the restart and got due reward on the hour mark after Itoya started and finished off the enthralling move that produced the winner.

Rangers’ head coach, Gbenga Ogunbote spoke to our official website,www.riversunitedfc.com.ng after the contest.

“It was a good one. I am happy that we are getting it right,” Ogunbote said. On his part, technical manager of Rivers United FC, Stanley Eguma explained that the absence of intensity in his side’s second half display proved costly in the end.
“Our performance in the first half was above average and I was not disappointed with that but in the second half, we didn’t give enough and that is why we lost,” Eguma told our official website, www.riversunitedfc.com.ng.

“We are still working on the team which is not yet perfect but I think that we will get better and we have to go back and work for our next game,” he said.

Rivers United slipped to 16th place on the log with seven points from six matches following the reverse to the ‘Flying Antelopes’. Rangers are in eighth place on the log with seven points from six matches.