Defending Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) champions, Rangers International of Enugu, recorded a narrow 1-0 victory over Warri Wolves in a pre-season friendly played at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, as both sides intensified preparations for the 2026/2027 football season.
The encounter provided an opportunity for both coaches to assess new signings and test tactical combinations ahead of what promises to be a demanding campaign in the domestic league.
Speaking after the match through his assistant coach, Odita Okechukwu, Rangers head coach Fidelis Ilechukwu expressed satisfaction with his team’s display, stressing that the outcome was secondary to evaluating the squad.
According to Okechukwu, the technical crew used the match to assess the quality and adaptability of newly recruited players, adding that the defending champions are steadily building towards peak performance ahead of the new NPFL season and their CAF Champions League campaign.
“We are pleased with the performance of the players.
“The result is encouraging, but the main objective was to evaluate some of the new additions to the team.
“We believe we are on the right track as we prepare for both the NPFL and the CAF Champions League,” he said.
Warri Wolves Technical Adviser, Hassan Abdallah, also described the friendly as an important exercise in the club’s preparations for the new season.
He said the match enabled his coaching crew to fine-tune the squad and assess the readiness of the players, noting that the Seasiders possess a determined group capable of making a strong impression in the league.
“It’s a friendly to fine-tune the players ahead of the new season and the goal was to get those players we recently signed to access them and also blend them with the players already in the club.
” If you noticed, I changed almost all the players in the second half and for what I saw, I was impressed with the performance of the players and we will continue to see how they can get more better ahead of the new season.
Coach Abdallah expressed appreciation to the Delta State Government for its continued support of the club and appealed for sustained assistance to ensure the team achieves its objectives.
“We appreciate the Delta State Government for standing behind the club.
“We urge the government not to relent in providing the necessary support as we prepare for the new season,” Abdallah said.
The Warri Wolves coach expressed confidence that his side would give a good account of themselves when the 2026/2027 Nigeria Premier Football League season gets underway.
The pre-season fixture formed part of both clubs’ build-up plans, with Rangers aiming to defend their NPFL title while also preparing for continental football, and Warri Wolves looking to make a strong impact in the new league campaign.
