CAF CC: Ogunbote Optimistic As Rangers Target Win At Salitas

CAF CC: Ogunbote Optimistic As Rangers Target Win At Salitas By Admin Nigeria’ lone entry in the Total Confederation cup 2018/2019 season, Rangers International F.C of Enugu, will on Sunday, March 10, 2019 at Stade 4 Aout, Ouagadougou, Burkina-Faso, try to rekindle their title hopes as they trade tackles with Salitas in a match day 5 of the annual club competition. Smarting from a back-to-back loss to Tunisian giants, Etoile Sportive du Sahel on match day 3 and 4, the coach Olugbenga Ogunbote wards departed Lagos, Friday with a resolve to come back from the West African nation with all three points at stake. Ogunbote, who led Sunshine Stars to the semi-finals of the same competition some years back and qualified Enyimba for the second tier continental competition before teaming up with the ‘Flying Antelopes’ last season, is very optimistic of getting the needed result in Ouagadougou. “I sincerely wish to appeal to our numerous supporters all over the globe for the loss we suffered last week at home. All the same, we have put that behind us and looking forward with optimism as we engage Salitas F.C of Burkina-Faso in our next game away from home. "No doubt, it will be a tough game owing to the fact that they have not lost a game at home since the group stage started but we believe that there will be a start for the loss someday.” Ogunbote took most of the players that have been doing the job for him just as he celebrated the return of the defensive duo of Senegalese star defender, Pape Ousmane Sane and Semiu Liadi who were greatly missed in the home loss to Etoile while there will be a first for former Enyimba defender, Isiaka Oladuntoye for proper cover at the back while Koffi Roland and Ifeanyi George makes their way back to the traveling team. Leading scorer in the competition, Godwin Aguda share in the optimism of his coach as he said, “Our last match was not what we expected after all we did to keep hope alive of appearing in the quarter-final of the competition. "But, after the loss, we have come together and spoken to ourselves to put it behind us and target the maximum points from our last two matches. We hope that been the only side to have scored against Salitas in the group stage, will serve as a boost going into the match day 5 fixture. By God’s grace and prayers from our supporters we shall come back with a victory to put us in proper position for a quarter-final ticket.” In the reverse fixture, the ‘Flying Antelopes’ are ran away victors with goals coming from Godwin Aguda and Isaac Loute for a 2-0 score line while the host of this fixture, Salitas F.C have failed to score in its last five games both in the domestic and international level but have found their scoring boots in their last domestic encounter few days back. The coach Ladji Coulibaly tutored lads did a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Etoile Filante, Ouagadougou with eighteen year old, Elliass Dianda and Togolese, Foovi Aguidi scoring to cancel out a Stephane Pognongo earlier strike for Filante. Also, the Burkina-Faso side will have a full complement of its players as Youssouf Barro, Karambiri Ismael and Dauda Diakite who missed the first encounter in Enugu will be present to help while Rangers may rue the miss of enterprising attacking sensation, Ajani Ibrahim due to card suspensions. The encounter will have FIFA badge referee from Morocco, Noureddine El Jaafari overseeing proceedings with countrymen, Hicham Ait Abbou and Yahya Nouali assisting on either side of the pitch. Rangers are placed 3rd in the group B log with four points after four round on matches with their host, Salitas coming behind on 4th position with three points from four matches while the first and second positions are occupied by Tunisian giants, Etoile Sportive du Sahel on seven points and Club Sportif Sfaxien on six points.