The NPFL Matchday 35 between Enugu Rangers FC and visiting Enyimba FC of Aba was a high profiled one in all ramifications.

The attention that the match generated was second to none. The reasons for these were very obvious. Rangers, as we all know remains the pride of every football lover from the South Eastern part of Nigeria, before the formation of Spartans of Owerri and Enyimba FC of Aba.

Rangers carry the identity of every igbo man wherever they go. The history of the emergence of Rangers FC cannot be wished away, knowing full well that Rangers came up at  the end of the bitter civil war that many Igbos were killed.

Enyimba FC became a force in Nigeria Football after playing second fiddles to Spartans FC of Owerri, before the creation of Abia State in 1991. In the early 2000, the then Governor of Abia State Orji Uzor Kalu decided to turn the team to a brand not only in Nigeria, but in Africa and beyond. Enyimba not only won  trophies in Nigeria, they became the only Nigerian clubside to win the elusive African Champions League back to back till date. No other Nigerian team has won that trophy.

So, a match between the two teams will be a must to watch for all  football followers, moreover now that both teams are breathing down on each others neck on the league table. Before that match, Rangers were on top of log with 61 points while Enyimba second with 59 points. This showed that the Matchday 35 in Enugu was a major decider for both teams, and the league. Little wondered, the hype and attention that the match received. As expected, the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium was full to its capacity hours to the encounter. Yes, the mobilization in the two states were second to none,  and the kick off was shifted to 5pm.

The two teams actually gave good accounts of themselves until the end of the 90 minutes, and 10 minutes into the added time, an assumed pulling in the Enyimba box which the referee adjudged as a penalty. Hell was let lose, as assumed Enyimba fans invaded the pitch after an attempt by the referee to order that the penalty be played with out the Enyimba players on the pitch. The referees were stampeded and trampled out of the pitch, and the high profiled match was disrupted.

Football Fans have been falling on each other to ascertain who is right or not, and if it is penalty or not. 

Box 18 believed the NPFL officials didn't handle the match well. Agreed that it's the responsibility of the host FA to handle every aspect of any football match, but the security arrangements of the match was nothing to write home about. Close watchers of games knew that allowing people to sit down at the edge of the pitch was a time bomb, which will surely explode.

Box 18 still blamed the league organizers of insensitivity in the match considering the fact that the Enyimba fans are still aggrived of the three points they were docked in the match against Doma FC, which no doubt is making them play second fiddles to Rangers in the League. The Enyimba folks are accusing some officials in the NPFL of being sympathetic with Rangers quest of winning the League,  as  been the architects of their problems. 

Upon review of the findings of the official reports for the Match Day 35 Fixture: Rangers Int’l FC were found to have breach Rule B15.24 of the Frameworks and Rules of the Nigeria Premier football League. In that Match, Rangers were accustomed of over-ticketed which led to the overcrowding at the Stadium.
They breached Rule B13.5S2 of the Frameworks and Rules of the Nigeria Premier football League.

 For failing to provide adequate and effective security, Rangers were said to have breached Rule B13.52.1 of the Frameworks and Rules of the Nigeria Premier football League, in that Match. They failed to implement adequate and effective crowd control measures
 and could not prevent unauthorized persons from gaining access to restricted areas.

The NPFL  imposed Five Million Naira fine on  Rangers and Enyimba FC were fined  Ten Million Naira and they were docked three points, three goals.

As timely as the punishments may seems, it is very evident that the teams and the league organizers have killed the beautiful brand created in the match day 35 between Rangers and Enyimba FC, by been insensitive to very prevailing issues. This maybe very hard to overcome now and the nearest future. God help Nigeria football.