The Technical Adviser of Enugu Rangers, Coach Abdul Maikaba, has said the seven-time league champions are struggling to win matches at their adopted home ground in Nnewi because they don’t train on the pitch.
Following the ongoing renovation work on the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Stadium in Enugu, Rangers have adopted FC Ifeanyi Ubah stadium in Nnewi as their home ground.
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Playing home–away from home has not been a bed of roses for the ‘Flying Antelopes’ but after their 1-0 victory over Gombe United which came after two losses and some draws at home, Maikaba opened up on why Rangers are struggling to win in Nnewi.
“We have always found it difficult to win out-rightly on this pitch because we are home away from home and other teams take advantage of that because what we get is the same one-day training on the pitch just like other teams” he said.
The coach also blamed his players’ poor finishing on lack of confidence in the pitch of FC IfeanyiUbah stadium.
He said the only game Rangers scored in the first half was against MFM.
“My players keep losing confidence as the game progresses and this match was no exception as we found it very hard to convert begging chances. As you saw, my players are losing confidence playing on this ground” he said.
Against Gombe United last Saturday, Nwobodo netted in the 49th minute to give the Enugu side all three points when he finished off a pass from Ebuka who had done the most difficult job.
Maikaba also said “Gombe United is a team with character and we respect them but we got our target which was the three points at stake.”
Gombe United Technical Adviser, Aliyu Zubairu, maintained that they had a good game but were undone with that slip and loss of concentration on the part of his defenders who could not stop Ebuka.
