Nigerian Premier League champions Enugu Rangers claimed a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Angola’s Sagrada Esperanca in the first leg of their CAF Champions League second preliminary round clash on Friday.
Kazeem Ogunleye was the star of the day, netting the decisive goal just 12 minutes from time at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, Footballrover reports.
Despite securing a win, Fidelis Ilechukwu’s side once again struggled in front of goal, echoing their performance from the previous round against US Zilimadjou of Comoros.
Rangers managed to score only one goal, continuing a worrying trend of inefficiency in front of the net—having now found the back of the net just three times in their last three continental matches.
This match stirred memories of Rangers’ historical struggles against Angolan opposition.
The last time the Nigerian side faced an Angolan club on the continent, they fell to Recreativo do Libolo, losing 3-1 on aggregate.
Rangers’ inability to capitalise on opportunities mirrors those past encounters, reinforcing the challenges they continue to face against teams from Angola.
Their record shows they’ve played Angolan teams eight times, winning four, drawing three times, and losing only once.
However, they are winless in their last three meetings, making their narrow win over Sagrada Esperanca a crucial, but precarious, advantage.
The reverse fixture, set for Sunday, November 22 at Estadio 11 de Novembro in Luanda, promises to be another uphill task.
Rangers will need at least a draw to advance to the group stage, a milestone that could inject new life into their continental campaign.
However, their recent history suggests that holding off an Angolan side on their home turf will be no easy feat.
Full time victory locked in at home! One down, and now we focus on finishing strong in the second leg away!#RANSAG #CAFCL#GloryDays #NeverSayDie pic.twitter.com/fotWsULji3
— Rangers International FC (@Rangers_Intl) September 13, 2024
As the Nigerian side prepares for the trip to Luanda, they’ll be looking to overcome their historical struggles against Angolan opponents.
With Nigeria’s other CAF Champions League representative, Remo Stars, already eliminated in the first round by Morocco’s AS FAR, all eyes will be on Rangers to fly the nation’s flag higher in the competition.
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