AITEO CUP: Rangers,Lobi Crash out as Ngwa FC,Unicem Rovers others qualify for Round of 16

The Reigning NPFL Champion has been thrown out of the aiteo cup ,in the Round of 32 of the competition.

Unicem Rovers defeated Rangers International by 6-5 on penalties after both sides battled to 1-1 full time draw.

The result mean Unicem Rovers will star in the Round of 16 of the competition.

Ngwa FC also edged out,another NPFL side, Lobi stars to qualify for the Round of 16 of the 2017 Aiteo Cup.

The Amateur defeated Lobi stars 4-3 on penalties, both sides played goalless  after 90 minutes.

The feat by Ngwa FC and Unicem Rovers is in line with cup tradition of smaller teams upsetting bigger sides in cup competitions.

Other Results show all the other bigger teams in the competition hold their own against their opponents as Shooting Stars , Abia Warriors,Plateau Utd, FC Ifeanyi Uba, ABS FC did enough to move past their less fancied opponents and qualified for the next stage of the competition.

Below is the full Results of the matches played yesterday

MEN

Sunshine Stars 4-2 Nasarawa United

Akwa United Vs Yobe Desert Stars (Uyo, 6 September 4pm)

Osun United 0-0 Kwara United (4-3 penalties)

Niger Tornadoes 1-0 FC Atete

Ngwa FC 0-0 Lobi Stars (4-3 penalties)

Unicem Rovers 1-1 Rangers International (6-5 penalties)

Ekiti United 1-1 Abia Warriors (4-2 penalties)

FRSC FC 1-1 Heartland FC (4-5 penalties)

FC IfeanyiUbah Feeders 0-2 FC IfeanyiUbah

El-Kanemi Babes 1-1 Almar FC (4-2 penalties)

FC Abuja Vs Samba Kurna (Area 3, Abuja, 31 August)

Plateau United 1-0 Ede United

ABS FC 6-3 Adamawa United Feeders

Katsina United Feeders 1-1 Bayelsa United (4-3 penalties)

Akwa Starlets Vs Doma United (Uyo, 6 September 2pm)

Delta Warriors 0-2 Shooting Stars

Thirteen  teams have now qualified for the Round of 16 and the winners of

FC Abuja / Samba Kurna (Area 3, Abuja, 31 August)
Akwa Starlets / Doma United (Uyo, 6 September 2pm)
Akwa United / Yobe Desert Stars (Uyo, 6 September 4pm)

Will complete the 16 teams that will compete in the next round of the competition.

The ladies also take to the pitch in the aiteocup and here are results across different centers nationwide

WOMEN

Adamawa Queens 0-1 Edo Queens

FC Robo Queens 1-0 Delta Queens

Confluence Queens 3-0 (W/O) Invincible Queens

Beautiful Tours 3-1 Moje Queens

Rivers Angels 5-0 Delta Babes

Bayelsa Queens Feeders 4-0 Fortress Ladies

Pelican Stars 1-0 Young Talents 99

Teams In Round of 16:

Ben Women FC, Ibom Angels, Jokodolu Babes, Sure Babes, Sunshine Queens, Nasarawa Amazons, Osun Babes, Abia Angels and Bayelsa Queens, Edo Queens, FC Robo Queens, Confluence Queens, Beautiful Tours, Rivers Angels, Bayelsa United Feeders, Pelican Stars.

It's Been a Wonderful, Crazy Season For us ....Amobi

"It's been a wonderful, crazy season for us.  This season we learn from each game and come back better " .

These are the choice words of Barrister Amobi Ezeaku ,the team manager of Rangers international football club used in describing Rangers' 2017 season.

 

The defending Champion defeated Remo stars by two goals to one in one of the March day 36 fixtures of the Nigeria Professional Football League , NPFL, at the Gateway international stadium Sagamu on Sunday courtesy of brace from the boots of Bobby Clement.

Each goal in each half gives Rangers international their first away victory of the campaign to take their point haul to 52 points ,which is enough to keep them in the NPFL for next season.

 

A lot of their fans expected a lot from the defending Champion this season but they couldn't just lived up to that high hopes of the fans.

The team started the season with a loss at home to Abia warriors and the Flying Antelopes failed to recover from that 1-2 loss all season,that moment marks the begining of a  rough and turbulent ride both in the domestic and Continental compaign.

 

Off the pitch pitch event wasnt helpful to the cause of the team on the pitch , from the rise and suspension of Christian Chukwu to the sacking and arrest of Imama Amakpakabo these are no doubt ugly Episodes in the Club's season that serve as a major distraction to the team's collective aspirations of giving their fans a good follow up season after a winning their first tile after 32 years in the previous season.

 

An elated Amobi  seems to have put the troubles' season behind and looks at the future after the soothing victory at Shagamu on Sunday

'Now we know we are safe and we will go back to Enugu to work hard and preserve our future in the league it's been a crazy season for us".

 

Rangers will host Enyimba of Aba at the cathedral ,in Enugu ,in their last home match of the season though nothing significant at stake,save pride and bragging rights, for the flying Antelope but they Will fancy a victory in front of their home fans and give them a parting moment to savour till league match returns to the venue next season .