A 22nd-minute header by Uwumiro Frank from a well-treaded corner kick by Agu Kenechukwu turned out to be the winning goal for Nigeria league champions, Rangers International F.C in the first leg, the preliminary round of TotalEnergies CAF Champions League 2024/2025 season over Comoros Island champions, U.S Zilimadjou in a match played at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo.

The encounter which was a home fixture for the Comoros side that elected to prosecute the match in Nigeria due to the non-approval of its stadium, saw the ‘Flying Antelopes’ coach, Fidelis Ilechukwu, line up a crack backline that had Onyebuchi Ifeanyi and Opara Austin at the heart of defense with the quartet of Tekena Garando, Ugwueze Chinemerem, Saviour Isaac and Agu Kenechukwu taking charge of the middle of the pack leaving Uwumiro Frank and Okorie Chiedozie to probe for the goals upfront.

Rangers quickly went on the offensive at the blast of the referee’s whistle signaling the start of hostilities. Still, the agility of Youssouf Djawadi, who was between the sticks for the home side, meant that the game was denied early goals.

But the goalkeeper could do nothing to stop the young, lanky Uwumiro from connecting home with a splendid-headed effort off Kenechukwu Agu’s corner kick, and the fans went into a frenzy.

Uwumiro would have grabbed his brace four minutes later after some neat interchange of passes between Joel Odoh and Isaac Saviour left the opposing players stranded but his effort inside the box inexplicably went over the crossbar as the bench of the Comoros side heaved a sigh of relief while the Nigerian side’s bench rued a big chance gone begging.

More opportunities were coming the way of Rangers, but the ball failed to rest inside the net, on the other end, goalkeeper Japhet Opubo was at his best as he twice had to make dashing runs out of his box to cut out dangerous chances by the opponent.

Efforts by both sides to crack open the backline at either end in the second stanza failed to result in goals even as coach Ilechukwu introduced fresh legs that saw Ugwueze Chinemerem, Frank Uwumiro, Chiedozie Okorie, and Saviour Isaac make way for Kazeem Ogunleye, Onyekachi Okafor, Usman Bashir and Okorie Ekeson as the Sudanese arbiter brought proceedings to an end.

Coach Ilechukwu in a post-match chat, said, “It was a game we had control over in the first stanza and could have scored more goals that would have killed any fight back from our opponent. We lowered our guard in the second stanza, and they came out to attack, but we stood out to see off the encounter. We go back to the drawing board to prepare very well for the return leg and we are positive going forward.”

Captain of the ‘Flying Antelopes,’ Ugwueze Chinemerem, said, “The game did not go the way we planned it, but the win is very important for us. I think with this result, we are in good stead to pick a ticket into the next round, but we have some work to do before the return leg. The is gone and to the glory of God, it turned in our favor. It was a vital win.”

The return leg of the fixture will take place at the same venue with Rangers playing as the host on Friday, August 23, 2024, with the winner picking the ticket to the second preliminary round of the premier football club competition on the continent.

Meanwhile, Remo Stars pipped AS FAR FC from Morocco 2-1 in their CAF Champions League Preliminary Round first-leg match in Ikenne.

Goals from captain Nduka Junior and Sodiq Ismail lifted the Sky Blue Stars to a slim win ahead of the return leg.

El-Kanemi Warriors, on the other hand, couldn’t replicate the results of Rangers and Remo Stars after a 1-1 draw with Dadje FC of Benin Republic.