Nation-wide League One (NLO) outfit, Lamray United Sunday evening held NPFL giants and Tournament’s reigning champions, Rangers international to a 1-1 draw in an entertaining opening match of the Ifeanyi Ekwueme Tico/Select NPFL preseason tournament held at UNEC stadium, Enugu.
Rangers striker Chidiebere Nwobodo drew the first blood to give the defending champions a 20th minute lead before Ezeovah Ifeanyi’s powerful header cancelled the deficit in the 52nd minute with both teams missing several scoring chances until the referee’s final blast of the whistle.
Rangers’ fast-rising winger, Chidiebere Nwobodo scored first for the ‘Flying Antelopes’ on 24 minutes as he ran onto a defense splitting pass from left-back, Philip Clement to stun the lower league side that had started the encounter on a more promising note with former youth international, Divine Nwachukwu, Emeka Ekeh, Shedrack Charles and Izuchukwu Ogbodo pulling the strings.
Pressures by Rangers’ quartet of Elijah Ani, Ejike Uzoenyi, Samuel Pam, and Shedrack Asiegbu to increase the tally could not yield more goals as both teams retired to the dressing room.
The coach Jude Agada led side got the equalizer on 72 minutes after the premiership side’s backline left much space for Ifeanyi Ezeorah to nod home from an inch-perfect cross by a teammate to have a share of the spoils as the chase for who will emerge champions of the preseason tournament continues on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, in Enugu and Owerri that is hosting the second group.
Lamray’s diminutive midfielder and former Golden Eaglets star, Divine Nwachukwu was named Man of the Match following his five-star performance and was rewarded with a Tico/Select sportswear.
On Tuesday, the official opening ceremony will hold at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri with Rivers United in a top drawer fixture against Heartland FC.
Other fixtures slated for Tuesday include FC One Rocket vs Ingas FC, Cynosure vs Enugu Rangers, and Abia Warriors vs First Mahi FC.
The tournament is bankrolled by Tico/Select kit Manufacturing companies brand representative in Africa and former Super Eagles midfielder, Ifeanyi Ekwueme.
