Rangers crumble in Cairo, slump 1-4 to Zamalek News

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Rangers crumble in Cairo, slump 1-4 to Zamalek

By Daily Sports on March 13, 2017

Nigerian champions Enugu Rangers were on Sunday night defeated 1-4 by Egyptian side Zamalek SC in a CAF Champions League round of 32 games at the Al-Salam Stadium in Cairo.

The Flying Antelopes hardly made it out of their half in the opening exchanges as Zamalek pressed from the start of the game.

Inside the opening four minutes, the Egyptian club had won four corner kicks as they pegged back Rangers.

Eight minutes after kickoff, Zamalek took the lead through their Nigerian forward, Stanley Ohawuchi.

The former Heartland FC man found his way into the six yard box of Rangers and unmarked just took a dive to nod home Ossama Ibrahim’s well-whipped corner kick past a scrambling Itodo Akor to open scoring.

Rangers just did not get into the groove in the first leg of the contest at the Al-Salam Stadium as they were run ragged. Ohawuchi, Ossama, Aymen Hefny, Hossam Paulo and Mostafa Fathy had a field day dragging the defence of the Nigerian club back and forth.

On 28 minutes, Rangers were caught out on the counter as Paulo was slipped through on goal with Ousmane Pape Sane to contend with. The Rangers defender slid on the turf to clear but instead touched the ball into Paulo’s path and the Zamalek forward scooped the ball over onrushing Akor before scoring into an unguarded net for his team’s second.

Five minutes later, Rangers conceded a third. Zamalek put together an intricate passing move which freed Hefny in the box and the 31-year-old midfielder lobbed the ball over Akor for a perfect finish.

Just before the break, Fathy almost made it 4-0 but his attempt missed the target as Zamalek took a comfortable three-goal lead into the locker room.

The Whites continued their pressing play style in the second half and Rangers were under the cosh from the restart like in the first.

It took Zamalek only nine minutes into the second half to score their fourth. Osas Okoro, playing as a right-back, tripped Ohawuchi in the box and the referee awarded a spot kick which Fathy despatched past Akor for 4-0.

Rangers head coach Imama Amapakabo then sent on Daniel Etor and Tope Olusesi and his team began to have a semblance of a team that can go forward.

Etor and Olusesi succeeded in dragging the Zamalek defence wide and pegging their full-backs in their half.

Seven minutes from time, Bobby Clement scored with an acrobatic strike after a blocked Rangers’ free kick fell kindly for him.

Etor then had a pop at goal from way out in the 87th minute which clipped the upright of the Zamalek post and that proved as much as the Nigerian champions could muster in a contest in which they looked second best for large spells.

Rangers will need three goals to see off Zamalek in the second leg at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu on March 19. (© supersport.com)

•Photo shows Rangers Head Coach Imama Amapakabo.

Source Daily Sports

Posted March 13, 2017