NPFL: ‘I am not scared of Heartland,’ says Ilechukwu ahead of Saturday’s derby

One of the biggest games of the weekend in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) will take place at the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri as Enugu Rangers face Heartland in the Oriental derby.

Heartland, playing on their home turf, have recently turned their season around, climbing to 10th place from a worrisome 17th. They’ll be looking to continue their resurgence against regional rivals, Enugu Rangers, who face a short 137-kilometer journey to Owerri for the match.

Despite Heartland’s recent resurgence under Coach Emmanuel Amuneke, Enugu Rangers’ manager, Fidelis Ilechukwu, who previously coached Heartland, remains unconcerned. Ilechukwu dismissed any notion that Heartland’s improved form poses a threat to his team.

In a WhatsApp message to PREMIUM TIMES ahead of the derby, Ilechukwu expressed confidence in his team’s ability to secure maximum points. Rangers have been unbeaten against Heartland in their last four games, with Fidelis recording back-to-back wins last season against his former club.

“I’m not worried about Heartland’s match tomorrow (Saturday) because I know the team very well, and it’s a derby game with one of the best coaches in Nigeria,” Ilechukwu said.

While acknowledging the significance and potential difficulty of the derby, the Rangers boss exuded confidence in his team’s ability to handle the challenge. He emphasised their positive attitude and readiness for the match.

“I know it’s going to be a difficult game, but we are positive about what we can achieve. You know, it’s my former team, and they have been doing so well, with young players, but we will do our best tomorrow (Saturday),” Ilechukwu added.

Impact of Obaje’s return

The club’s resurgence in scoring goals in their last five games can be attributed to the return of striker Godwin Obaje. Ilechukwu emphasised that Obaje’s comeback has brought life to the team’s attacking prowess.

“Obaje, coming back to the team is the biggest thing happening to the team. Because it’s difficult getting points with him unavailable. We tried to do so, and it’s one of our biggest challenges in our continental games. Obaje’s presence could have had lots of positive effects on the team,” Ilechukwu remarked.

Rangers have scored six goals since Obaje’s return to the club in the last five games, with the striker scoring three of them.

Kingdom Osayi’s introduction and the absence of Japhet Opubo

One of the consistent players for Rangers during their title-winning season was goalkeeper Japhet Opubo, who was in goal for 20 matches for the Flying Antelope.

READ ALSO: NPFL: Ilechukwu remains optimistic after Rangers’ first home defeat

Speaking about his absence in the line-up in Rangers’ recent games and Kingdom Osayi’s introduction, Ilechukwu said it was for healthy competition in the team.

“Japheth [Opubo] is a top-class goalkeeper; I think, as a technical adviser, we need more hands for Rangers. Last season was all Japheth, even with injury. Also, Japheth has some other opportunities to travel out, so I think that bringing more hands is going to be better for us, should he not be available, so they can cover for him. But right now, his presence is massive for us; a very big one,” Ilechukwu added.

Rangers will seek to extend their four-game unbeaten run against Heartland on Saturday, 23 November at the Dan Anyiam Stadium. The match kicks off at 4 p.m.