Rangers International of Enugu suffered a 2-1 defeat to rivals Enyimba FC in a fiery Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) derby on Sunday, extending their troubling home form with a sixth winless outing at their fortress this season.
The match at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium saw Enyimba dominate early, netting twice within six minutes—a 23rd-minute opener followed by a 29th-minute strike—to stun the hosts before halftime. Rangers’ lone response came in the 60th minute via substitute Chidiebre Onyia, but squandered chances in the closing stages sealed their fate.
The result propelled Enyimba to 5th place (52 points), while Rangers slipped to 8th, deepening concerns over their title ambitions. Enyimba coach Stanley Iguma hailed his team’s first-half mastery: “We controlled the game early, though Rangers pushed hard after the break.”
Rangers’ tactician Fidelis Ilechukwu pointed to injury setbacks and “internal challenges” disrupting preparations, while captain Chinemerem Ugwueze lamented the psychological blow of the early deficit: “We started mentally trailing, and it cost us.”
