Rangers International of Enugu will be pulling all the stops to ensure that the maximum points from the match day 34 fixture against the visiting Kano Pillars is annexed to keep the hope of picking a continental ticket alive as the Nigeria Professional Football League gradually winds up with Matchday 34 matches unfolding across various venues in the country.
With the reflections of the ‘Asaba Miracle’ still playing around as well as other interesting encounters involving both sides very fresh in the minds of the club’ followers, the encounter at ‘The Cathedral’, Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium, Enugu, this evening is expected to be a top-of-the table fixture.
Coach Salisu Yusuf, the Rangers gaffer is very positive going into this encounter with his former employers as he has charged his wards to up their game to get all the three points at stake stressing that Kano Pillars are not a small team by any rate.
“We are taking every game as a cup final and this won’t be an exception. I believe that we have done all we can to ensure that victory is achieved on Wednesday in Enugu. I expect a tough match from them but we have what it takes to get what we want,” stated the widely travelled and vastly experienced gaffer who once handled the ‘Sai Masu Gida’ side.
Going down memory lane, encounters between both sides have never been easy for either of them as recorded in the 28 matches played between April 2, 2005 and March 7, 2021 with the Enugu side enjoying 13 victories as against 11 enjoyed by the ‘Groundnut Pyramid’ side with four encounters ending in draw.
The biggest win recorded in one of these encounters remains the 4-0 hammering received by the Kano side on April 28, 2013 with the only victory on the road by either side enjoyed by Kano Pillars just a little over a decade ago.
Both sides have enjoyed a rich vein of form at the home grounds but in the last six matches in the ongoing season, Rangers have a slight edge with three wins, two losses and a drawn game as against Pillars’ three wins and three losses.
Going into this fixture, Rangers are placed 7th on the 20 team log with 52 points while the visiting Kano Pillars occupy the 3rd position with 58 points from the same number of matches played.
In other matches, high riding Akwa United seeking for their first ever NPFL title will welcome relegation threatened Warri Wolves to Nest of Champions in Uyo.
Second placed Nasarawa United will be guest of Lobi Stars in Makurdi. Below is the full fixtures
Others Matchday 34 fixtures:
Jigawa GS vs Rivers United
MFM vs Plateau Utd
Kwara Utd vs Wikki Tourists
Abia Warriors vs Heartland
Dakkada vs Adamawa United
Sunshine vs Katsina Utd
Ifeanyi Ubah vs Enyimba
