Kwara United Quash Rangers’ Federation Cup Dreams

By Amaechi Agbo

Enugu Rangers’ quest for the President Federation Cup 2025 came to a disappointing end on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, as they suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Kwara United in a hard-fought semi-final clash at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Onikan, Lagos.

A defensive lapse just five minutes into the second half proved to be the undoing of the ‘Flying Antelopes’. The mix-up presented Kwara United’s Wasiu Alalade with a golden opportunity, and he made no mistake, slotting home the easiest of finishes to send the ‘Afonja Warriors’ faithful into raptures.

Rangers, coached by Fidelis Ilechukwu, struggled to find their rhythm in the first half but emerged a much-improved side after the break.

They mounted relentless pressure on the Ilorin side, with Godwin Obaje, Daniel Onyia, Silas Nenrot, and Chimobi Igwilo all coming agonizingly close to finding the equalizer.

However, Kwara United’s experienced shot-stopper, Suraj Ayeleso, stood firm, producing a string of crucial saves to preserve his clean sheet and secure his team’s passage to the final.

A visibly dejected Coach Ilechukwu addressed the media after the match, stating, “This is really a sad loss for us as a team, but we have taken it as one of the outcomes of a football match. It was not destined to be our day. Our first half was not too impressive, but we came back for the second half a better side, but that error at the back gave us away. We shall go back and re-group and find our way back to the top in the coming season. We thank our fans for their prayers and support all through the season, and we hope to make up for this season’s missed opportunities.”

Rangers will now conclude their 2024/2025 season with a trip to Ibadan this weekend as they are set to face old rivals 3SC in a Match Day 38 NPFL fixture on Sunday, May 25, 2025, in what now appears to be more of a classification match.