2018 Aiteo Cup : How Rangers stunned Pillars in a dramatic comeback to lift

Enugu Rangers staged a thrilling comeback from three goals down to beat Kano Pillars on penalties and win their first Nigerian Cup since 1983 on Wednesday.

Rangers International FC of Enugu on Wednesday in Asaba stunned Kano Pillars in a dramatic comeback from three goals down to win the 2018 Aiteo Cup on penalties.

Rangers will represent Nigeria in next year’s CAF Confederation Cup after claiming their sixth Nigerian Cup title in total, pocketing a cash prize of 25 million Naira ($69,000).

The game which was played at the 25,000 capacity Stephen Keshi Stadium had ended 3-3 at regulation time, after Rangers fought gallantly from three goals deficit to level up the game.

Pillars, backed by over 400 travelling supporters, had dominated the first half of the game, with great display of soccer artistry to the cheering spectators.

The first goal of the encounter came in the 5th minute of play when Pillars old warhorse, Rabiu Ali, found space between two Rangers defenders to slot in from close range.

The early goal seemed to spur Pillars into action, as they took absolute control of the midfield, dictating the play as Rangers defenders laboured helplessly to curtail the rampaging Pillars attackers, led by Junior Lokosa.

The dominant Pillars got their second goal of the game in the 20th minute of the second half when a corner kick by Alhassan Ibrahim was parried into goal by Rangers first choice goalkeeper, Femi Thomas.

Pillars got their third goal in the 47th minute when striker Nwagua Nymar took advantage of a mixup in Rangers defence to slot home from close range.

Rangers players, however, bounced back, when midfielder Kelvin Itoya powered home a stunner from outside the 18 yard box, in what can be

arguably described as the best goal of the game.

Not done yet, Rangers went on the rampage, after two Pillars players got injured in a space of 15 minutes and were stretched out of the field of play and taken in an ambulance to the hospital.

The flying antelopes got their second goal of the night in the 82nd minute, when midfielder Chidera Ezeh scored after free-flowing counter attack.

The turning point of the night came in the 92nd minute of extra time, when Ajani Ibrahim sent the entire stadium into frenzy with a clinical finish after he beat a helpless Pillars defender to leveled the game at 3-3.

The game became a physical combat as tempers flared among the players of the two teams, but referee, Adebimpe Quadiri, who stamped his authority on the game, kept the tensed nerves at bay.

The game went directly into penalties, and in the ensuing shootout, Pillars duo of Rabiu Ali and Jimoh Ismaila lost their penalties, while Rangers scored all its five penalties, ending the 5-3 to lift the trophy.

NAN reports that two state governors, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta and his counterpart from Enugu, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, as well as the deputy governors of Kano and Edo states were in attendance.