Football
Enugu Rangers striker,
Chisom Egbuchulam has voiced his sentiments following his match-winning
performance against Rivers United in the second game of the annual pre-season
tournament of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), the Super 4 on
Wednesday.
Egbuchulam netted a
spectacular second half brace to put United to the sword at a frenzied Nnamdi
Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.
The attacker took the time
to reflect on a very good day in the office in an exclusive chat with the
Rivers United official website, www.riversunitedfc.com.ng.
“It was a great game and
we got a deserved three points.
“It wasn’t an easy game
but we thank God for the victory and I am also pleased with the goals I
scored,” he said.
Rangers outclassed United
4-0 in their previous meeting at the same venue on September 4 but struggled
for long periods, especially in the first half against the Port Harcourt club
on Wednesday.
Egbuchulam identified
improvements in the United side that fell 0-2 at the Cathedral on Wednesday,
noting that the new players drafted in by Stanley Eguma has made the Port
Harcourt club look a more decent proposition.
“They are a good side.
They played very well in the first half but were unable to score.
“They can give Nigeria
good representation on the continent.
“There are a lot of
changes in the present Rivers United team.
“They have a lot of new
players who are very good as well.
“This is a much better
Rivers United team,” he said.
Amapakabo, Eguma reflect
on opening Super 4 cracker
Enugu Rangers coach, Imama
Amapakabo is full of praise for Rivers United despite masterminding a 2-0
defeat of the Port Harcourt club in the Nigeria Professional Football League
(NPFL) Super 4 on Wednesday.
Chisom Egbuchulam’s
stunning second half double at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu put the ‘Pride
of Rivers’ to the sword as the ‘Flying Antelopes’ hit the ground running in
Nigeria’s biggest pre-season tournament.
Amapakabo noticed
improvements in the United team and tips them to achieve positive things in the
future.
“Rivers United have some
very very good players that they have been able to add into their team and they
are beginning to stand up and be counted.
“About three of my players
were not finding their feet in the first half so I knew I had to effect the
substitutions I did (that) in the second half for things to happen for us.
“We came with a different
game plan but Rivers United surprised us with their tactics.
“I was expecting (Rivers United
technical manager, Stanley Eguma) to play with three attackers, spread out wide
but he played two strikers with (Nzube) Anaezemba playing out wide and coming
into the centre.
“We noticed that,
reorganized our play and it paid off for us,” he told www.riversunitedfc.com.ng.
Amapakabo also had words
of praise for the vanquished United team which he described as “a very good
side that can hold on to the ball and play”.
“This is a better team
compared to the side of last season. This is a very good side that can hold on
to the ball and play.
“They however do too much
of that (keep possession) in their own half of the pitch but I am sure the
coach will correct that as the days go by.
“They need to play a lot
more of through passes with their attackers making a lot of runs (off the ball)
and they will get it right.
“On Wednesday, I saw a
(Rivers United) side with so much confidence and they always want to play which
is not a good thing,” he said.
Meanwhile, Eguma was still
in bullish mood after the reverse on Wednesday especially after seeing his side
play so well early on.
The experienced gaffer
praised his players for the effort and identified isolated individual and
collective mistakes for the loss to the ‘Flying Antelopes’.
“The goals they scored
were against the run of play which were as a result of some defensive blunders
we committed.
“Generally, my team did
not disappoint but we will get better.
“Don’t forget too that
Rangers played basically, the same team from last season while we are still
trying to build a new team and that gave them a little edge over us.
“We lost concentration in
some moments in the second half and also failed to score from some very good
chances we created,” he said.
Rangers will next meet
Wikki Tourists in a top-of-table clash on Friday by 5pm with United kicking off
their next game of the tournament against FC Ifeanyiubah by 7pm.
Both games will be played
at ‘the Cathedral’, the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.
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